Antique Wooden Japanese 'Japan' Mask, Ōbeshimi Obeshimi O-Beshimi God w/Patina!

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About the Item

Antique, wooden OBESHIMI mask hailing from Japan. Edo Period mask (1603 to 1868) Thick traces of dark Patina on the mask. Well worn string-holes attest to both this piece's age and amount of adornment in the past. At some point someone tried to "clean" the right side of the back of the mask... the true, dark, aged wood of this mask can still be see in the recesses of the nose area however... its highly aged, darkened (oxidized w/time), wood! Remnants of gofun (traditional smoothing paste made out of crushed oyster shells) outlines highlight the creases in the brown skin; the gofun is now mostly missing not because the mask was mistreated, but because the ebb and flow of humidity over several hundred years has slowly removed the pieces one by one. The mask is of a god... representing a tengu who protects others from evil spirits and demons - named Obeshimi The oldest form of Beshimi masks, characteristically the mouth is firmly clenched and metallic gold eyes appear to pop out of the face. While the obeshimi has an expression of inner determination, it also has a comical aspect: if obeshimi were to unclamp its teeth, it would break into a smile. Obeshimi's tense expression creates deep wrinkles on the forehead and forces both ends of the eyebrows to curl upward. Flattened nostrils enlarge the end of the nose. The mask has a rounded jaw and depth of modeling allows for ears. Used for tengu roles in Kurama Tengu, Zegai, Kuruma zo, Dairokuten, and Daie, where it is worn under a shaka mask and therefore called shaka shita. O'beshimis were first created by the thirteenth carver Shakazuru Yoshinari. A good standard o'beshimi mask is owned by the Mitsui family, Tokyo A fine early Muromachi example with smaller eyeballs and rounder face belongs to the Nara Zuihiko Shrine. Measures: 8.75” x 6.75” x 4.5".

Dimensions:
Height: 8.75 in (22.23 cm)Width: 6.75 in (17.15 cm)Depth: 4.5 in (11.43 cm)
Materials and Techniques:
Other,Hand-Carved
Place of Origin:
Japan
Period:
17th Century
Date of Manufacture:
1600s
Condition:
Wear consistent with age and use.
Seller Location:
Brunswick, ME
Reference Number:
1stDibs: LU6081226517282

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