Hyottoko mask

Wonderfully expressive country Mingei mask of high quality. Very small Ottoku mask with the left eye missing, implying that the wearer probably had a permanently missing eye and it was sewn shut, or due to an accident or disease. A very rare and charming Mingei mask with a finely carved back inscribed with three characters on the back. 17th-18th century.
Appraiser’s number: [4]

Historical period(s)
Edo period, 17th-18th century
Medium
Wood with colored pigment
Dimensions
H x W x D (overall): 19 x 15.6 x 4 cm (7 1/2 x 6 1/8 x 1 9/16 in)
Geography
Japan
Credit Line
Collected by Seymour J. Janow and Gifted in his memory by his Family
Collection
Freer Gallery of Art Collection
Accession Number
F2003.5.4
On View Location
Currently not on view
Classification(s)
Mask
Type

Mask

Keywords
Edo period (1615 - 1868), Japan
Provenance

To 2003
Seymour J. Janow, Washington, DC, acquired in Japan, to 2003 [1]

From 2003
Freer Gallery of Art, given by the family of Seymour J. Janow in 2003

Notes:

[1] According to Curatorial Note 1, Ann Yonemura, September 30, 2003, in the object record.

Previous Owner(s) and Custodian(s)

Mrs. Selma Janow

Description

Wonderfully expressive country Mingei mask of high quality. Very small Ottoku mask with the left eye missing, implying that the wearer probably had a permanently missing eye and it was sewn shut, or due to an accident or disease. A very rare and charming Mingei mask with a finely carved back inscribed with three characters on the back. 17th-18th century.
Appraiser's number: [4]

Inscription(s)

1. (Jerry Solomon, independent appraiser, 12 April 2003) Inscribed with three characters on the back.

Label

The use of masks in dance, court ritual, processions, and religious ceremonies expanded and flourished under the patronage of the Japanese imperial court during the seventh and eighth centuries, when a wide variety of performance, dance, and musical forms reached Japan from Korea, China, Southeast and West Asia. The elaborate carved and polychromed wood masks for these performances were probably produced by the sculptors of Buddhist icons, but in later periods, mask carving became a specialized skill that was often fostered within families.

This mask was probably produced and worn for dance performances in a rural area of Japan. Such performances often accompanied religious or agricultural festivals. Although it depicts a person who has lost an eye, the expression of this mask is lively and charming.

Collection Area(s)
Japanese Art
Web Resources
Google Cultural Institute
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