Alessio Morandi was born into a wealthy Venetian family.  His mother was into the arts and had a passion for painted masks.  She proudly displayed them on a wall.  Knowing that his mother only valued beautiful things, young Alessio knew he could never fully get her attention and affection.

One day Alessio decided to take his mother's favorite ornamental mask from the wall.  Because it was only for display purposes, there was no way that he could actually wear it.  He decided to use a tube of adhesive and put it on his face.

Walking into his parents room, things didn't go as planned.  His mother laughed and his father got irrate.  His father wanted the mask off and grabbed it.  When it wouldn't budge, he pulled harder and harder until it finally did come off, taking most of Alessio's face along with it.

His father hired the best plastic surgeons in the world but the damage was too severe.  The muscles in his face could no longer show expressions.  His face was a blank.

When Alessio arrived at Arkham Asylum, it was ten years before he spoke.   It was Dr. Jerimiah Arkham that finally reached him and encouraged him to use himself as a canvas to express himself.  
 
It turns out he was only a figment of Jeremiah Arkham's imagination.