Masked Party in a Courtyard

Two groups of masked figures in an enclosed courtyard form the essential structure of this painting. By juxtaposing the seated woman with the masked figure behind her, the artist has interjected a feeling of unease into an otherwise casual grouping, a feature found in many of Pietro Longhi's scenes of upper-class Venetian society. Half-masks with a veil and Tricorn hats were worn by priviledged women and men during the months of Carnival. The artist has captured the delicate transparency of the seated woman's veil that covers but does not conceal the red flower on her bodice.