The William Oates Jeffery Collection - Netsuke, Ojime, and other Ivory Objects

Magojiro or Ko-omote

Female Mask Netsuke

SOLD

The number of Female Masks in Noh drama is large, as they are used to portray any female character, including an old woman. Female masks do not display as wide a range of individuality as male masks, and there are no female masks used only for specific roles. Young women usually wear Ko-omote, Magojiro, Waka-onna, or Zo-onna; middle-aged women, Fukai or Shakumi; and old women, Uba or Ro-jo. The way in which strands of hair are drawn on their sides is characteristic of each type. The Ko-omote mask is the prettiest, and expresses naive innocence.  The Fukai mask is used for the distraught mother in Sumida River who comes from Kyoto to Tokyo in search of her son, who had been stolen by slave traders, and it is distinguished by its wrinkle-like dimples. The Uba mask is very refined and expresses a quiet dignity, and is thus used for the old woman in the first part of The Twin Pines as well as for the aged grandmother in The Old Woman Abandoned in the Hills.

Excellent Condition.  

Soft golden yellow patina.

dimensions:

1 3/4" high x 1 1/8" wide x 3/4" deep

Two ( himotochi ) holes in back.

Un-signed.

The Noh play "Dojoji" tells the story of Kiyohime and her love for the priest Anchin.  Kiyohime relentlessly pursued Anchin into the Buddhist temple of Dojo-ji, where he hid himself under the temple bell to escape her. When the beautiful young woman was rejected, she turned into a ferocious demon headed serpent, coiling around the bell, and both were burned into ashes by her rage.

Noh was the theater of royalty in Japan in the 1300s and 1400s.  Noh plots usually have tragedy, loyalty, and honor as their themes.  Sometimes Noh includes a slow, controlled form of dance.  Noh actors wear elaborate costumes, and the main characters wear masks in order to take on the role of the many different characters that they play.  Noh masks represent women, old men, and supernatural beings with different moods and personalities.  Actors are all male, even those with female roles. The band for Noh theater includes a  bamboo flute, three drums, and a male vocal ensemble that tells the story in song. Occasionally, drum calls are played during the performance.

Noh masks, also known as omote, are important props in the Noh masked drama. In documents from the Momoyama period, about 60 types of masks are listed, and these account for most of the masks in use today. Most but not all shite roles require the use of a mask, excepting the roles of kokata (child actors) and actual living men, which are performed without a mask.  Within established limits, there are specific masks used for each type of character. The actor performing the shite role chooses the most appropriate mask based upon his idea of the subject matter and his plan for the performance.

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