Noh mask - Wood (No reserve price)





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Description from the seller
Wood, pigments, powdered shell
24 cm
This recent-made Hannya mask faithfully draws on models from Japanese Noh theatre. Carved in wood and covered with a sober polychromy, it represents the spirit of a woman consumed by jealousy and suffering, whose metamorphosis into a demon is conveyed by the long horns, the metalized eyes with a piercing gaze, and the mouth slightly open revealing a threatening dentition. Despite its dramatic expression, the face maintains a certain ambiguity, characteristic of Noh masks, oscillating between anger, pain, and sadness depending on the angle from which it is viewed. The back bears a beautiful patina, an engraved seal, and an inscription in Japanese characters, bearing witness to artisanal production. Made in accordance with traditional aesthetic codes, this mask constitutes a high-quality decorative piece, evocative of one of the most emblematic figures in the Japanese theatrical repertoire.
Seller's Story
Wood, pigments, powdered shell
24 cm
This recent-made Hannya mask faithfully draws on models from Japanese Noh theatre. Carved in wood and covered with a sober polychromy, it represents the spirit of a woman consumed by jealousy and suffering, whose metamorphosis into a demon is conveyed by the long horns, the metalized eyes with a piercing gaze, and the mouth slightly open revealing a threatening dentition. Despite its dramatic expression, the face maintains a certain ambiguity, characteristic of Noh masks, oscillating between anger, pain, and sadness depending on the angle from which it is viewed. The back bears a beautiful patina, an engraved seal, and an inscription in Japanese characters, bearing witness to artisanal production. Made in accordance with traditional aesthetic codes, this mask constitutes a high-quality decorative piece, evocative of one of the most emblematic figures in the Japanese theatrical repertoire.

