THREE JAPANESE WOOD GIGAKU MASKS

THREE JAPANESE WOOD GIGAKU MASKS

MEIJI OR TAISHO PERIOD, 20TH CENTURY

All three finely carved and with remnants of russet brown or red lacquer, the first depicting a monkey with its eyes wide open in surprise; the second depicting a smiling man with an aquiline nose and elongated earlobes; the third another smiling man with a large square-shaped face and a turned-up nose, with thick horse hair for the eyebrows, moustache and beard; each mask signed and inscribed by the artist Kano Tessai (1845-1925), 26cm max. (3)

Kano Tessai (1845-1925) was a sculptor who specialised in mask netsuke. He started life as a Buddhist priest whilst being taught the art of carving by his father. He also studied Chinese literature and art and he became a professor at the Tokyo Art School in 1872.