these were lavish affairs held in ballrooms, theatres and mansions.

seeing carnival a chance to live differently, the wealthy saw carnival as a time to break the social codes so common within the upper classes.

in order to conceal their identity, be it even symbolically, they donned masks.

this way, even someone of high social import could engage in behavior that at other times may have seemed less than savory.

a mask gave the upper classes permission to engage in debauchery and, whether or not they knew who the others were, made no difference.