The Beaked Mask of Venice

The bird-beaked plague doctor’s mask We saw this eery beak-masked mannequin on a recent trip to Venice. It’s an excellent way to advertise the mask shop it stands outside of course, and it harks back to devastating times in Venice’s history. Venice was hit many times by the plague, with outbreaks occurring in 1348, 1462, 1485, 1506, 1575–1577 and, disastrously, 1630–1632 when over 32% of the population died as a result and of course the doctor coming into conta…