Shrine mask "tengu" (Long Nose) ·  Japan · ID: 3033799

Description

wood, brown patina, painted in red and gold, a beard of real hair fixed by small wooden plugs, expressive form: the eyes wide open with bulging eyeballs underneath bushy eyebrows, a striking long nose, a broad mouth revealing strong teeth, the whole facial plane coated with grooves and wrinkles, slightly dam., tufts of hair missing, paint rubbed off;
representing a playful demon dwelling in the forest. The masks are used in rural village Shinto festivals and processions.

Comparing literature

Congdon-Martin, Douglas, Pieper, Jim, Masks of the world, California 1999, p. 78 f.