Noh mask ko omote

Description

Carved wooden mask from the Noh theatre, Showa period. Signed Seiun 静雲. Representing Ko omote, ‘Ko’ means tenderness, youth and beauty. ‘Omote’ means face. The mask shows the beautiful face of a young woman whose nature is calm and serene.

Noh masks have long been an integral part of Japan’s religious rituals, festivals and theatre. They represent historical figures and spirits referred to as kami, which have their origins in Japan’s indigenous beliefs. Traditionally, the mask symbolised ‘possession’, transforming the wearer into the kami or its human incarnation.

1:1 scale (20 x 15 cm aprox.)