Theatrical Mask
date: label: Accession Date
content: 5 Jul 1899
label: Collection Date
content: 1898
name: label: Collector
content: Prof Alexander G. Bell
label: Donor Name
content: Prof Alexander G. Bell
notes: label: Notes
content: Illus. and described p. 196 in Robert Pontsioen, "The Alexander Graham Bell Collection of Japanese Masks at the Smithsonian," Nineteenth-Century Art Worldwide 17, no. 2 (Autumn 2018), https://doi.org/10.29411/ncaw.2018.17.2.8 (accessed ‎November‎ ‎6‎, ‎2018). Identified there: Artist unknown, Mask, Japan, ca. 1898. Wood, gofun, glass, animal and human hair, bone or ivory, silk rope, paint. 14.6 x 6 x 8.3 in. This is the only mask with a female face, and although it is somewhat soiled, it clearly has a lighter coloring than the others. Given the pale complexion and golden hat, it seems likely that this mask is meant to depict either a shirabyōshi Heian-period court dancer, or possibly the legendary Empress Jingū Kōgō, who is said to have reigned from 201-69 AD. Unlike the other masks, this one has separate teeth made of bone or ivory that have been attached to the mask from the reverse side. The upper eyelashes are made of individually attached animal hair, while the lower eyelashes and eyebrows are painted on. The hair on the head is human. There is a hairline crack in the paint to the upper right of the right eye, and several cracks in the paint on the reverse.
label: Record Last Modified
content: 7 Jul 2021
label: Specimen Count
content: 1
place: label: Place
content: Japan, Asia
topic: label: Topic
content: Ethnology
culture: label: Culture
content: Japanese
setName: label: See more items in
content: Anthropology
dataSource: label: Data Source
content: NMNH - Anthropology Dept.
identifier: label: Accession Number
content: 035254
label: USNM Number
content: E204167-0
objectType: label: Object Type
content: Mask