| Description |
Five individual clay masks or faces, each mounted on a bamboo skewer and collectively mounted in a straw bale; Each mask is stamped on the reverse with an embossed signature, probably of the artist; Masks or faces like these are made in several parts of Japan, some as doll heads and others for theater puppet heads that can be interchanged with costumed bodies; A: Bundle of short rice straws of equal length, wrapped into a bundle with length of native cordage that is wrapped around bundle several times and tied into knot; B: Dark green mask with pointed nose, black triangular eyes, black mouth, and small black hat; C: Tiger mask, painted yellow with black stripes on cheeks and top of head, red ears and mouth, white eyes, and brown nose; D: Rust-brown mask with large nose, black eyes and mouth and small black hat; E; Red mask of a Tengu, a mountain goblin with a very long nose, white eyebrows and mustache, brown mouth, gold eyes, and small black hat; F: Mask of a man whose face is white with red lip, narrow black eyes and eyebrows, and black hair piled on top of his head. |
