oobeshimi　大べし見

KEY WORD :　art history / sculptures

Also simply beshimi べし見; formerly written 閉歯見. A noh mask *noumen 能面 representing a tengu 天狗 who protects others from evil spirits and demons. The oldest form of beshimi masks, in which, characteristically, the mouth is firmly clenched and metallic gold eyes appear to pop out of the face. While the oobeshimi has an expression of inner determination, it also has a comical aspect: if oobeshimi were to unclamp its teeth, it would break into a smile. Oobeshimi's tense expression creates deep wrinkles on the forehead and forces both ends of the eyebrows to curl upward. Flattened nostrils enlarge the end of the nose. The mask has a rounded jaw and depth of modelling allows for ears. The eyebrows, beard, and moustache of the mask are painted in black. Vermillion outlines highlight the creases in the brown skin. Used for tengu roles in KURAMATENGU 鞍馬天狗, ZEGAI 是界, KURUMAZOU 車増, DAIROKUTEN 第六天, and DAIE 大会, where it is worn under a *shaka 釈迦 mask and therefore called shakashita 釈迦下. First created by Shakuzuru Yoshinari 赤鶴吉成 (13c; see *jissaku 十作). A good standard oobeshimi mask is owned by the Mitsui 三井 family, Tokyo, and a fine early Muromachi period, example with smaller eyeballs and rounder face belongs to Nara Zuihiko Jinja 奈良豆比古神社.

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