TWO JAPANESE MASKS

TWO JAPANESE MASKS

MEIJI PERIOD, 19TH / 20TH CENTURY

The largest a lacquered wood Noh mask of a Nio, the Buddhist guardian king depicted with a ferocious expression and an upturned nose, the surface in a lustrous red and black lacquer and with details of the eyes and teeth in gilt, a two-character signature to the reverse; the other an iki-ningyo mask depicting a man with bushy hair, eyebrows and moustache; in wood covered with gesso and pigments, and with glass eyes, 26.7cm and 19.5cm respectively. (2)

Provenance: an English private collection, Somerset, purchased in Japan.