Minneapolis Institute of Art

Noh Mask of a Man

Japan

Date

16th century

Medium

Polychromed wood

Department

Asian Art

Institution

Minneapolis Institute of Art

Noh masks were typically made of cypress wood, primed with gofun (shell white) and animal glue, and colored with mineral pigment. They developed out of gigaku, a type of masked dance with mime that originated in Baekje, one of the Three Kingdoms of Korea (57 BC to 668 AD). During Noh performances, the actor in the principal role known as shite wears masks to play supernatural beings, women, and the elderly. Because Noh actors were limited to men until around 1900, those playing a young man, usually the supporting character called waki, went maskless. As the masks do not move, actors control the expression of each mask on stage by skillfully tilting their heads to evoke emotion through light and shadow. Japan, Asia

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