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1884.114.59

1 of 51 padded fabric covers for Japanese Noh Masks [JN 3/12/2001]

1884.114.59

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Collection type
Object
Description
1 of 51 padded fabric covers for Japanese Noh Masks [JN 3/12/2001]
Long description
1 of 51 covers for Japanese Noh Mask (the masks associated with the covers are numbered 1884.114.7 - 58, the covers are numbered 1884.114.59 - 109). All the mask covers are slightly padded and rectangular or square shaped, mostly with rounded corners. It is said that Noh mask covers are made from pieces cut from old Noh theatrical costumes. This particular piece has a front made up of small patchworked pieces of fabric including black velvet, plain silk, silk with woven and damask patterns. The back is of plain cream fabric with a long pile. [JN, 1998] There is a paper tag attached to the cover. This has been translated by Rachel Payne, Pembroke College, Oxford, to read 'below three' (in red printed text) and 'nineteen' (in black text). The same text appears of all the other paper tags attached to the mask covers in this collection. [JN 1998]
Geographical reference
Japan
Asia > Eastern Asia > Japan
Cultural groups
Japanese
Date / Period
Date made: Possibly before 1880 Archaeological period: Middle Edo Period, uncertain
Date collected
?Prior to 1880
Acquisition information
Donated: 1884
Materials and processes
Material Silk Textile Animal, Material Damask Textile, Material Velvet Textile, Material Cotton Textile Plant, Process Woven, Process Stitched, Process Patchwork, Process Brocaded Woven
Dimensions
Width: max 182 mm, Length: max 206 mm
Object numbers
Accession number: 1884.114.59
Research and responses

Information from Julia Nicholson: It appears that nearly all the mask covers in this collection are made from silk cloth but have cotton padding. [JN, 1999) Iwao Nagasaki, Curator Japanese Textile Section, Tokyo National Museum wrote [June 1999] 'the objects you sent me must be "men-ate (mask pad)." Usually mask pad is used with "men-bukuro (mask bag)" which is cloth bag with buttons or something like that on the edge of opening part.

Here is how to use mask pad and mask bag underneath.

1. Put the mask on somewhere with it's face upward

2. Put a mask pad on the face of mask

3. Put the mask with mask pad into the mask bag from the bottom part of the mask

4. Put on the button

5. Place the mask bag with the mask in it face up into the "men-bamko ( mask box)"

The mask bag and mask pads are sometime made with the fragment of noh robe, but major of them are made with ordinary fragment. Tokyo National Museum has some examples made with noh robe fragment too. Even in case of using the noh robe fragment, there must be no relation between the mask character (role) and fragment itself, I believe.

Search terms: Mask, Theatre and Drama, Textile, Mask Cover

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