The glimmering processions of the masked gods and bearded kings of New Orleans Carnival occupy a central position among the rites and glories of this great festival. The fantastic costumes of Carnival's Golden Age (1870-1930) illustrated themes drawn from mythology, epic literature, history, nature, and whimsy. Often presented at masked balls with a predominant theme, the costumes ranged from the royalty of fantasy lands to largely-drawn representations of all manner of animals, minerals, and vegetables.This collection contains dazzling examples of original costume designs as rendered in watercolor and lithographs--most of them reproduced here for the first time. These high-quality, color reproductions are suitable for framing.