20th C. Japanese Noh Mask - Shishiguchi Lion Form

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Indigenous Art - Ralph T. Coe Center, Santa F...

By Artemis Fine Arts

Aug 22, 2025

Set Reminder 2025-08-22 10:00:00 2025-08-22 10:00:00 America/New_York Bidsquare Bidsquare : Indigenous Art - Ralph T. Coe Center, Santa Fe, NM https://www.bidsquare.com/auctions/artemis-gallery/indigenous-art---ralph-t-coe-center-santa-fe-nm-20324
Featuring works of art from the Ralph T. Coe Center for the Arts in Santa Fe, New Mexico, a non-profit focused on promoting Indigenous Arts globally. All proceeds from the sale of these items will support future grants to Rehoming Program participants. Artemis Fine Arts info@artemisfinearts.com

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• Lot Description
  East Asia, Japan, Taisho to Showa period, ca. 20th century CE. A bold and fearsome example of Japanese Noh theater craftsmanship, this hand-carved wooden mask represents the Shishiguchi type, its features exaggerated to evoke both human intensity and leonine ferocity. With bared fangs and teeth, lips pulled back in a menacing grin, and eyes staring intently from beneath deeply furrowed brows, the mask projects an energy meant to command the stage. The carving captures the muscular swell of the forehead, the dynamic curl of the mouth, and the layered planes of the cheeks, while traces of dark pigment and burnished patina enhance the sense of age and theatrical presence. Although its features are human-like, the Shishiguchi mask is traditionally worn by actors portraying lion characters in Noh performances. Size: 6.6" W x 8.5" H (16.8 cm x 21.6 cm); 12.3" H (31.2 cm) on included custom stand.
  
  In the celebrated play Shakkyo ("Stone Bridge"), the mask appears in the transformative scene where a traveling monk at Mount Wutai in China pauses before crossing a sacred bridge to the Pure Land of the bodhisattva Manjushri. Advised to wait by a mysterious woodcutter, the monk witnesses an awe-inspiring vision: a lion dancing among blooming peonies. In Noh tradition, this lion is understood as the vahana, or spiritual conveyance, of Manjushri himself. The Shishiguchi mask plays a pivotal role in bringing this moment to life, its fierce visage embodying both the physical power and divine symbolism of the lion in Buddhist thought. This example, with its careful attention to proportion and its expressive carving, reflects the enduring artistry and layered storytelling of Japanese mask-making.
  
  Provenance: private Dallas, Texas, USA collection, acquired before 2000
  
  All items legal to buy/sell under U.S. Statute covering cultural patrimony Code 2600, CHAPTER 14, and are guaranteed to be as described or your money back.
  
  A Certificate of Authenticity will accompany all winning bids.
  
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  #195420

  Condition

  Some rubbing and abrasions to raised areas, especially tip of nose. Chipping to edges and verso. Light surface wear, but otherwise intact and excellent with good detail and patina to surface.
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