Beshimi mask offering to a Shinto Shrine

Object Details

• Label

  Masks, considered religious icons in themselves, were not always meant for performances. A believer offered this example to a shrine to accrue divine goodwill. Notice how the eyes have no holes to see through; the mask was never intended to be worn. But this type of mask—called beshimi and used to represent fierce demons and other powerful creatures—was also popular for use in rituals and theater.

• Provenance

  To 2003

  Seymour J. Janow, Washington, DC, acquired in Japan, to 2003 [1]

  From 2003

  Freer Gallery of Art, given by the family of Seymour J. Janow in 2003

  Notes:

  [1] According to Curatorial Note 1, Ann Yonemura, September 30, 2003, in the object record.

• Collection

  Freer Gallery of Art Collection

• Exhibition History

  The Way of the Kami (May 11 to November 3, 2019)

  The Historical Buddha and Friends (November 3, 2018 to May 5, 2019)

• Previous custodian or owner

  Mrs. Selma Janow

• Origin

  Japan

• Credit Line

  Collected by Seymour J. Janow and gifted in his memory by his family

• Type

  Mask

• Restrictions and Rights

  Usage Conditions Apply

  There are restrictions for re-using this media. For more information, visit the Smithsonian's Terms of Use page.

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• Date

  1700s, 1710s, 1720s, 1770s, 1780s, 1790s, 1730s, 1570s, 1740s, 1750s, 1760s, 1800s, 1810s, 1820s, 1830s, 1610s, 1650s, 1640s, 1630s, 1620s, 1690s, 1840s, 1680s, 1850s, 1670s, 1860s, 1660s

• Name

  Janow, Selma

• Place

  Japan

• Topic

  Art, Momoyama period (1573 - 1615), Wood, Demon, Edo period, Japan, (1600 - 1868), Japanese Art, Shinto

• Culture

  Japanese

• Object Type

  Masks