mask (dance & live theatre)

Heavily carved wooden demon mask, painted black though with a red colour underneath, leaving a very dark brown effect. The eyebrows are very prominent, the eye sockets and teeth in an off-white which has been discoloured through time. Prominent nostrils. Wide mouth with two fangs in upper jaw. Possibly a Kagura mask used in Shinto ritual. A serious crack right down the middle has been repaired. A piece of metal has been affixed on the upper part of the inside, which may have caused the damage. Small holes to either side may have been to hold something to help the wearer to support it.

object
MUSEUM NUMBER
nn3501
PLACE
COLLECTION
MEASUREMENTS
overall: 160 x 320 x 270 x 150 mm
MATERIAL/TECHNIQUE
wood
CATEGORY
Anthropology: Ethnography
SHAREABLE LINK

Continue exploring anthropology

Collection Information

These objects are only a part of our collections, of which there are more than 350,000 objects. This information comes from our collections database. Some of this is incomplete and there may be errors. This part of the website is also still under construction, so there may be some fields repeated or incorrectly formatted information.

The database retains language taken from historical documents to help research. Please note that some records may feature language and reflect systems of thinking that are outdated and offensive. The database also includes information on objects that are considered secret or sacred by some communities.

If you have any further information about objects in our collections, can suggest corrections to our information or if you see content requiring immediate action, please contact us: enquiry@horniman.ac.uk