Kyogen raccoon dog mask

Place of OriginJapan

Dateapprox. 1800-1900

MaterialsWood

Credit LineThe Avery Brundage Collection

Object numberB70Y519

DepartmentJapanese Art

ClassificationsDecorative Arts

On View

Not on view

More Information

A raccoon dog (tanuki) is a mischievous badger-like animal who appears frequently in Japanese folklore. This is an example of one of the three categories of animal masks used in Kyogen plays, the other two being the fox and the monkey.

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Kyogen raccoon dog mask

Gyokko

1800-1850

Tanuki (raccoon dog) in robes of a Buddhist priest

approx. 1800-1850

Tanuki (raccoon dog) pounding his belly

approx. 1870-1890

The tanuki (raccoon dog) that turned into a tea kettle (from the folktale Bunbuku Chagama)

approx. 1850-1950

Kyogen mask of the Oto type or folk mask of the Otafuku type

approx. 1600-1800

Okame (a female character in Kyogen) mask

approx. 1800-1900

Noh mask of Okina, an old male deity

Shoraku II

approx. 1800-1900

Noh mask of a female demon

Miwa

1780-1790

No mask of a young woman

Tenka Ichi Deme

approx. 1800-1950

No mask of a male demon

Deme-saku

aprox. 1800-1900

Hannya mask

approx. 1650-1705

Okina (an old man character in No play) mask

approx. 1800-1900