Masquerade balls were a feature of the Carnival season in the 15th century, and involved increasingly elaborate allegorical Royal Entries, pageants, and triumphal processions … See more

In French Guiana
In French Guiana, throughout the Carnival period, masked balls (known as paré-masked balls) take place every weekend. These are called … See more

Masquerade masks were worn delicately by the prosperous class at balls. Masquerade masks had many uses including hiding one's identity, and using different colour to express one's freedom of speech and voice one's emotions and opinions without … See more

The picturesque quality of the masquerade ball has made it a favorite topic or setting in literature.
• Edgar Allan Poe's short story "The Masque of the Red … See more