yorimasa　頼政

KEY WORD :　art history / sculptures

A noh mask *noumen 能面 representing a 12c warrior-poet of the Seiwa Genji 清和源氏 line in the play YORIMASA. Having fought against his family to protect the emperor, he later plotted revenge against the rising and powerful Taira no Kiyomori 平清盛 (1118-81), only to be forced to give battle on the banks of the Uji 宇治 river near the temple of Byoudouin 平等院. A patch of turf cut in the shape of a fan marks the spot where the defeated 70-year-old Yorimasa laid down his fan and committed suicide. The mask, with its rounded metallic eyes, up-swept eyebrows, and bared teeth, although representing a living person, is sculpturally close to masks of revengeful ghosts, such as *ayakashi 怪士. Black stubble around the mouth contrasts with the aging wrinkles on the brow and highlights the bitter expression. The original mask is attributed to the 15c carver Tokuwaka 徳若 (see *jissaku 十作).

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*otokomen 男面

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