Papier-mache Tengu Mask
£350.00
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Papier-mache Tengu Mask
£350.00
A vintage Japanese papier-mache mask depicting a long-nosed Tengu, a legendary Shinto mountain demon and guardian spirit. This nicely aged piece was originaly crafted for local matsuri performance or rural shrine display, featuring a characteristically fierce expression with wide eyes and coarse, hand-tied fibre hair.
Age: Early 20C
Materials
Moulded papier-mâché (hariko) covered in layers of pigmented Japanese lacquer (urushi) and polychrome paint, backed with a white-gessoed interior. Strands of natural hemp or coarse vegetable fibre form the rustic eyebrows and beard, tied and reinforced with wire fasteners along the mask perimeter.
Moulded papier-mâché (hariko) covered in layers of pigmented Japanese lacquer (urushi) and polychrome paint, backed with a white-gessoed interior. Strands of natural hemp or coarse vegetable fibre form the rustic eyebrows and beard, tied and reinforced with wire fasteners along the mask perimeter.
APPROX. Dimensions
HEIGHT: 28CM
WIDTH: 17.2CM
WIDTH: 17.2CM
DEPTH INC LENGHT OF NOSE: 23CM
Condition & Antique Character
As an antique object, this piece has lived a previous life and shows the gentle marks of time and utility. The lacquered surface exhibits fine networks of age crazing, paint flaking along the brow, and deliberate wear to the high-friction edges of the prominent nose and chin. The fibre hair shows fraying, natural discolouration, and sparse thinning, while the interior gesso displays minor scuffing and historic oxidation around the metal wire attachments. Please examine the photographs carefully, as they form part of the description.
As an antique object, this piece has lived a previous life and shows the gentle marks of time and utility. The lacquered surface exhibits fine networks of age crazing, paint flaking along the brow, and deliberate wear to the high-friction edges of the prominent nose and chin. The fibre hair shows fraying, natural discolouration, and sparse thinning, while the interior gesso displays minor scuffing and historic oxidation around the metal wire attachments. Please examine the photographs carefully, as they form part of the description.