Object Details
Label
This mask represents a demon (oni). It probably was used in tsuina (or oni yarai), a ritual exorcism performed on the night before the New Year to drive out demons. The eyes once may have been covered with gilt metal to create a gleaming, fearsome appearance.
Provenance
To 1905
Mme. Florine Langweil (1861-1958), Paris, to 1905 [1]
From 1905 to 1919
Charles Lang Freer (1854-1919), purchased from Mme. Florine Langweil in 1905 [2]
From 1920
Freer Gallery of Art, gift of Charles Lang Freer in 1920 [3]
Notes:
[1] See Original Miscellaneous List, S.I. 1208, pg. 280, Freer Gallery of Art and Arthur M. Sackler Gallery Archives.
[2] See note 1.
[3] The original deed of Charles Lang Freer's gift was signed in 1906. The collection was received in 1920 upon the completion of the Freer Gallery.
Collection
Freer Gallery of Art Collection
Exhibition History
Religious Art of Japan (December 18, 2002 to January 4, 2015)
Previous custodian or owner
Mme. Florine Langweil (1861-1958) (C.L. Freer source)
Charles Lang Freer (1854-1919)
Credit Line
Gift of Charles Lang Freer
Date
1615-1868
Period
Edo period
Accession Number
F1905.314
Restrictions & Rights
CC0
Type
Mask
Medium
Wood with paint and hair
Dimensions
H x W x D: 23.9 x 18.8 x 9.4 cm (9 7/16 x 7 3/8 x 3 11/16 in)
Origin
Japan
Related Online Resources
Google Arts & Culture
See more items in
National Museum of Asian Art
Data Source
National Museum of Asian Art
Topic
wood
Edo period (1615 - 1868)
demon
Japan
Japanese Art
Charles Lang Freer collection
Link to Original Record
Record ID
fsg_F1905.314