Netsuke: "no"- mask, probably "shunkan" type ·  Japan · ID: 3039286

Description

wood (boxtree?), suffering facial expression, haggard face with sunken cheeks and with the corners of the mouth pulled downwards, incised signature on the backside, beautiful used patina;
this mask type was used in the “no” theatre play “shunkan”. He was a buddhist priest who was accused of being the mastermind of a plot against the ruling Taira clan in the middle of the 12th century. Banished to a deserted island, he became deeply depressed and starved to death.

The object Netsuke: “no”- mask, probably “shunkan” type with the object ID 3039286 was last part of the auction 81st Tribal Art Auction at October 31, 2015 on Zemanek-Münster Auction house. The object with the lot number 38 achieved a sales price of EUR 200.

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Comparing literature

Bushell, Raymond, Netsuke Masks, Tokyo, New York, San Francisco 1985, pl. 84