Asian Tribal Art - Shrine Mask, Japan

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Shrine mask
Japan
Cypress wood, pigment
12" by 8.75" (30.5 cm x 22 cm)
19th century or earlier, most likely 18th or 17th century
Ex Collection of Charles Smith, University of Washington


A masterly carved Shrine mask used in Shinto Festival ceremonies, most likely of an old man or foreigner. While this mask has a size format of the ancient Gigaku masks (7th and 8th centuries), and would fit under the chin to the top of the hairline, it is definitely not one of these. Gigagku masks have fourteen different characters, and this is definitely not one of them. Nor is it one of the late 19th century copies of a Gigaku mask, with linen and lacquer in the inside back of the mask to give the illusion that it is very old and also to strengthen the mask because the original masks were thin and fragile. Nor is this a Bugaku mask of the 9th–12th century used in noble court dance performances, which are still performed today using new masks, some even made in resin or plastic. This mask is not one of the Bugaku mask iconic representations and does not fit any Bugaku style mask.

From around the late 13th century until the present day, shrine masks were made and used in shrine festival (matsuri) activities, for many different reasons: To expel evil spirts, plagues or illnesses to protect agriculture, and in general to promote safety, secure fecundity and to protect the villages and towns from all unpleasant happenings. These shrine masks were not for entertainment of theater, but were to bring the kami or spirits down from the heavens and ask for their help. The people march the masqueraders around, feed them, show them a good time, and then send the spirits of these masks back up to the heavens (no one wants any spirits hanging around, good or bad).

What is unique about Shrine masks more than any other type of Japanese mask is that while they have general names such as Oni (demon), old men, dragon, etc. they do not follow a strict iconography and these masks are totally individualistic created by the many artists that created them. Finding two or more masks that look relatively similar or almost identical is extremely rare, in shrine masks and they are always Shinto in use. (Courtesy of Jerry Solomon)
#3640

$3500


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