Oto Mask

Object Details

• Description

  A very good Okame mask carved finely in Hinoki wood (cypress) is a very sensitive depiction for this licentious country madam who often jests with her partner Hyottoku in sexual forays. Together their fecundity symbolizes a hope and desire for successful agricultural production as well as for the pro-creation of the people. A carver who carved masks for Kyogen plays as well as country masks as it is refined and larger than most mingei masks of this character might have made it. 16th-17th century.

  Appraiser's number: [5]

• 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

• 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.

  The information presented on this website may be revised and updated at any time as ongoing research progresses or as otherwise warranted. Pending any such revisions and updates, information on this site may be incomplete or inaccurate or may contain typographical errors. Neither the Smithsonian nor its regents, officers, employees, or agents make any representations about the accuracy, reliability, completeness, or timeliness of the information on the site. Use this site and the information provided on it subject to your own judgment. The National Museum of Asian Art welcomes information that would augment or clarify the ownership history of objects in their collections.

Keep Exploring

• Related Resources

  collections.si.edu

• Date

  1700s, 1710s, 1720s, 1500s, 1770s, 1780s, 1790s, 1730s, 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

  Theater, Art, Muromachi period (1333 - 1573), Noh, Edo period, Japan, (1600 - 1868), Japanese Art

• Culture

  Japanese

• Object Type

  Masks