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The Masquerade: A History of Extravagance and Intrigue
The first full history of an extraordinary eighteenth-century British entertainment
Glittering masquerades, held at the most fashionable London venues, dominated the calendars of the Georgian elite. A thrilling opportunity to gather, flirt, and consume, hosts such as “Empress of Pleasure” Teresa Cornelys welcomed the great and the good in elaborate costumes—including bear suits, harlequin outfits, or, in the case of Elizabeth Chudleigh, very little at all. The masquerade was a place of make-believe and revelry, and a party like no other.
Meghan Kobza invites us into these dazzling gatherings, and shows how they became a wider cultural obsession. Organised by wealthy impresarios, the masquerade allowed the aristocracy to flaunt their status and enjoy themselves behind the closed doors of opulent ballrooms, theatres, and gardens, dressed by an industry of ever more inventive habit makers. For the rest of society, the masquerade was notorious for mischief and misbehaviour, and a focus for voracious gossip.
Lavishly illustrated, full of life and originality, The Masquerade is a revelatory account of an event which captivates us to this day.
Glittering masquerades, held at the most fashionable London venues, dominated the calendars of the Georgian elite. A thrilling opportunity to gather, flirt, and consume, hosts such as “Empress of Pleasure” Teresa Cornelys welcomed the great and the good in elaborate costumes—including bear suits, harlequin outfits, or, in the case of Elizabeth Chudleigh, very little at all. The masquerade was a place of make-believe and revelry, and a party like no other.
Meghan Kobza invites us into these dazzling gatherings, and shows how they became a wider cultural obsession. Organised by wealthy impresarios, the masquerade allowed the aristocracy to flaunt their status and enjoy themselves behind the closed doors of opulent ballrooms, theatres, and gardens, dressed by an industry of ever more inventive habit makers. For the rest of society, the masquerade was notorious for mischief and misbehaviour, and a focus for voracious gossip.
Lavishly illustrated, full of life and originality, The Masquerade is a revelatory account of an event which captivates us to this day.
- GenresHistoryNonfiction
368 pages, Hardcover
Published June 9, 2026
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Displaying 1 of 1 review
Review of advance copy
This book has already been published in the UK.
Anyone who knows me will be well aware that the 18th century is not a period of history I tend to gravitate towards, but I thought this book sounded pretty intriguing, so I decided to give it a go. I’m glad I did, because it is a really enjoyable, well written, thoroughly researched book. I learnt a great deal about masquerades, most of which was totally new to me, and I had a really fun time reading it. In fact, it made me wish I could travel back in time to the 18th century and experience a masquerade for myself.
Anyone who knows me will be well aware that the 18th century is not a period of history I tend to gravitate towards, but I thought this book sounded pretty intriguing, so I decided to give it a go. I’m glad I did, because it is a really enjoyable, well written, thoroughly researched book. I learnt a great deal about masquerades, most of which was totally new to me, and I had a really fun time reading it. In fact, it made me wish I could travel back in time to the 18th century and experience a masquerade for myself.
Displaying 1 of 1 review