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Catalog Data

Medium:
Wood with colored pigments
Dimensions:
H x W x D (overall): 19.5 x 12.5 x 6.2 cm (7 11/16 x 4 15/16 x 2 7/16 in)
Type:
Mask
Origin:
Japan
Date:
16th-17th century
Period:
Muromachi through Edo period
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 portraying a woman has the unusual feature of square-cut openings for the eyes. The mask was used for dramatic performances in a Shinto shrine.
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.
Collection:
Freer Gallery of Art Collection
Exhibition History:
The Way of the Kami (May 11 to November 3, 2019)
The Historical Buddha and Friends (November 3, 2018 to May 5, 2019)
Previous custodian or owner:
Mrs. Selma Janow
Topic:
wood  Search this
Muromachi period (1333 - 1573)  Search this
Edo period (1615 - 1868)  Search this
woman  Search this
Shinto  Search this
Japan  Search this
Japanese Art  Search this
Credit Line:
Collected by Seymour J. Janow and Gifted in his memory by his Family
Accession Number:
F2003.5.11
Restrictions & Rights:
Usage conditions apply
Related Online Resources:
Google Cultural Institute
See more items in:
Freer Gallery of Art and Arthur M. Sackler Gallery Collection
Data Source:
Freer Gallery of Art and Arthur M. Sackler Gallery
GUID:
http://n2t.net/ark:/65665/ye39b929569-fee5-4141-a165-69133c5fa0e1
EDAN-URL:
edanmdm:fsg_F2003.5.11