THREE JAPANESE WOOD GIGAKU MASKS

THREE JAPANESE LACQUERED WOOD GIGAKU MASKS
MEIJI OR TAISHŌ, 20TH CENTURY

The first depicting a monkey with its eyes wide open in surprise; the second depicting Beshimi / Akujō (The Stern Old Man), with an aquiline nose and elongated earlobes; the third of Shikami (The Demon) with thick horse hair for the eyebrows, moustache and beard; each mask signed and inscribed by the artist Kano Tessai (1845-1925), 26cm max. (3)

Kano Tessai (1845-1925) was a sculptor who specialised in mask netsuke. He started life as a Buddhist priest whilst being taught the art of carving by his father. He also studied Chinese literature and art, and he became a professor at the Tokyo Art School in 1872.