Object Details
- Label
- Masks, considered religious icons in themselves, were not always meant for performances. A believer offered this example to a shrine to accrue divine goodwill. Notice how the eyes have no holes to see through; the mask was never intended to be worn. But this type of mask—called beshimi and used to represent fierce demons and other powerful creatures—was also popular for use in rituals and theater.
- 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
- Data Source
- Freer Gallery of Art and Arthur M. Sackler Gallery
- Date
- late 16th-17th century
- Period
- Momoyama or Edo period
- Credit Line
- Collected by Seymour J. Janow and gifted in his memory by his family
- Medium
- Wood
- Dimensions
- H x W x D (overall): 40.7 x 29.3 x 20 cm (16 x 11 9/16 x 7 7/8 in)
- Type
- Mask
