Beshimi mask

A very good mask of a closed mouth Oni or Beshimi. This mask has very expressive deep carving with a very pleasant expression. There is restoration on the top back of the mask, with an inscription on the back bottom possibly giving the name of the maker. The donor’s name was at the top, which has been partially cut off by the missing piece, which has been restored. Momoyama Period, 16th-17th century.
Appraiser’s number: [22]

Historical period(s)
Muromachi through Edo period, 16th-17th century
Medium
Hinoki wood with colored pigment
Dimensions
H x W x D (overall): 19.3 x 13.6 x 7.9 cm (7 5/8 x 5 3/8 x 3 1/8 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
F2003.5.7
On View Location
Currently not on view
Classification(s)
Mask
Type

Mask

Keywords
demon, Edo period (1615 - 1868), Japan, Muromachi period (1333 - 1573)
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

A very good mask of a closed mouth Oni or Beshimi. This mask has very expressive deep carving with a very pleasant expression. There is restoration on the top back of the mask, with an inscription on the back bottom possibly giving the name of the maker. The donor's name was at the top, which has been partially cut off by the missing piece, which has been restored. Momoyama Period, 16th-17th century.
Appraiser's number: [22]

Inscription(s)

1. (Jerry Solomon, independent appraiser, 12 April 2003) Inscription on the back bottom possibly giving the name of the maker.

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 is of the type known as beshimi, for its tightly closed mouth. Beshimi is a demon who usually appears in dance-dramas regarding a fierce but ultimately benevolent being. The simple carving of this piece identifies it with a rural context, probably for use in conjunction with local shrine or agricultural festivals.

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