okina　翁

KEY WORD :　art history / sculptures

Also hakushikijou 白色尉. The white faced mask of a happy old man used in *nou 能 and festival performances of the play OKINA 翁, also known as SHIKISANBA 式三番. Deep wrinkles form round patterns on his forehead and cheeks. The wavy slit eyes brim with mirth, and the joyful mouth exposes only a few stubs of teeth. The chin, severed from the mask and then re-attached by means of hemp cords passed through holes in the upper and lower jaw *kiriago 切顎, waggles as the actor chants his lines, and sports a long white beard. Pompoms made of hemp are glued on for eyebrows. A black horizontal strip at the upper edge of the mask indicates where it meets a black lacquer hat. Okina masks range from quite large to considerably smaller than the human face. The oldest mask with an original dated inscription is the 1477 mask at Istukushima Jinja 厳島神社, Hiroshima prefecture. Many other fine old masks exist, such as the 14c okina mask in the Kanze 観世 school, Tokyo, designated an Important Cultural Property.

REFERENCES:

*okinamen 翁面; *chichinojou 父尉, *sanbasou 三番叟, *noumen 能面.

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NOTES:

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