Masques were a type of performance art popular in the 16th and 17th centuries. The public version of a masque was a pageant, and they were designed to privately entertain a court, such as the courts of King Henry VIII and Queen Elizabeth I. The art form has its origins in earlier cultures, and various forms of the masque can still be found in modern culture; many historians believe that opera, for example, evolved from Italian masques.
The actors in a masque wore lavish costumes and various masks, which were accented by rich sets and accompanied by music. The players enacted a short story, often based on mythology and popular allegory, and interspersed it with social or political commentary that favored the host. Dancing, singing, and poetry were all part of the masque, and after it ended, everyone was welcome to dance.
Masques are thought to have originated in Italy and quickly spread to France. Although previous entertainments such as mummeries were quite similar, Henry VIII was instrumental in bringing the masque to England and elevating it to an art form. A mummery is a public or private parade and performance in which the participants wear masks. Mummers used to perform in towns and at the homes of lords as they traveled through the English countryside.
In the Tudor court, elaborate entertainment was very popular, though masques were also performed later. The masque frequently alluded to current political events, praising the sovereign’s wisdom, justice, and kindness. The actors would also interact with the audience, reciting poetry to attractive women or luring onlookers into the dances that took place in between acts. The players removed their masks at the end of the masque to reveal their faces; it was not uncommon to see high-ranking courtiers and even higher-ranking members of the state among the players. For example, both Henry VIII and Charles I took part in court masquerades.
A masque would typically be performed as part of a celebratory event such as a wedding or christening. When monarchs and lords traveled, masques might greet them at various points along the way, celebrating the monarch’s visit. Dinner, dancing, and other celebratory activities would have accompanied the event, with select members of society and lucky members of the community invited to participate or watch. The concept of the masque filtered out into the general community, as it often does in stratified societies, with masques becoming a part of celebration for all classes.