Shrine mask "tengu" (Long Nose)
Japon
Vendu
1 600 €
Provenance
German Private Collection, BerlinTaille
H: 28 cm
H: 11.0 inch
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.