RARE N?MASK OF A KO KASSHIKI.
Japan. Edo period. 17th c. Deme Mitsunaga; IV. Master of the family of Echizen Deme.

Cypresses wood (hinoki); painted and with patina. The mask of high quality shows the face of a boy with strands of hair falling into his forehead. His purposely blackened teeth are visible between the lips. In Buddhist monasteries young boys served as pages. In the N?theater they were characterized with such masks.

Later; this mask was changed by drilling holes in the eyebrows to insert horse hair. In addition; the mask was slightly trimmed on the sides. Length 20cm; width 12.5cm. On the back signed in red lacquer: Deme; Mitsunaga and kakihan. Condition B. Modified and restored.

The artist Mitsunaga was recently identified by a paper of Yasuda J魎n. He died young; which is why masks are rarely found by his hand. Often his works were attributed to his younger brother and successor of the same name (however written with different characters).

Publication:
-Friedrich Perzynski: Japanese No Masks. 2005. Compare Pl. XCV; XCVI; II.Art trade; Van Ham.