Exceptionally Rare Japanese Gigaku Rikishi Mask Kamakura Period

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About the Item

Exceedingly rare; Kamakura Period (1185–1333) mask hailing from Japan. This is a Rikishi mask that represents a great man of mighty power; biting its lower lip strongly, its face expresses its savage wrath. This mask is painted in red all over with an undercoating of white go-fun (Crushed oyster shell and animal-based glue used to smooth the wood's texture). This mask has lost its paint and go-fun not because it was abused or crafted incorrectly... by merely by the sheer passage of time. The annual ebb and flow of slight humidity changes have very slowly made the wood expand and contract resulting in tiny losses of paint over hundreds of years resulting in its current appearance. Holes evidence the tufts of hair that were once tucked above the upper lip giving this character a mustache; the larger diameter holes are indicative of this earlier period and help date this mask. This now ancient wood has dark, rich, oxidation of the wood on the reverse that almost appears to have been burnt, but in fact its just brittle with age as the cellular-level-organics have broken down and any trace amounts of minerals have help in the oxidation process. This is a perfect candidate that should have carbon dating performed to learn more about the exact age of this wood (and mask). In the near future I suspect we'll be extracting DNA-lineage from such masks from the patina-layer. Evidence of actual adornment and use as there is shiny, thick patina at the top of the mask and other, lessor, examples near the cheek-bone area. More so by the string-holes on the edge that have a fine, worn, rounded shape where the string slowly changed the hole's contour. The over-sized, ballooning teeth are one of the most helpful monikers to help identify, stylistically, which period this mask is from. Prior museum or temple catalog number inscribed on the back side. About half of these rare Gigaku masks are stored away in Japanese Museums and the other half in temples; unfortunately with Japan's giant population of baby-boomers many towns (and their temples) are no longer able to keep the doors open and with that comes the need to sell-off many of these cherished artifacts and shutter these temples. Slightly larger than average at: Height: 9.75 in. (24.77 cm) Width: 7.75 in. (19.69 cm) Depth: 6 in. (15.24 cm) Slight repairs to the back, right edge (gluing and two small steel nails); modern copper wire attached.

Dimensions:
Height: 9.75 in (24.77 cm)Width: 7.75 in (19.69 cm)Depth: 6 in (15.24 cm)
Materials and Techniques:
Cypress,Hand-Carved
Place of Origin:
Japan
Period:
15th Century and Earlier
Date of Manufacture:
1185–1333
Condition:
Wear consistent with age and use.
Seller Location:
Brunswick, ME
Reference Number:
1stDibs: LU6081226479462

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