One of the earliest masquerades in the western world is often attributed to the first Venetian Carnival in 1162. This practice, however, did not catch on through the rest of Europe until around the 16th century. During the Middle Ages, most people didn’t view history the way we view it now. If you look at any sort of paintings from this era that depict biblical or historical events, you’ll notice all the figures are dressed in clothing contemporaneous to when the painting was done.