"Noh Mask, "waka Onna" Signed Ujiharu Fukakusa "
This is a Noh mask "Waka Onna" made by Kiyoharu Nagasawa with a wooden display plate. signed with the cartouche of Nagasawa Kiyoharu also known as joharu fukakusa Born in 1927 he is the son of Nagasawa Ujiharu consecrated by the Japanese government "living national treasure for noh masks" he learned the talented know-how of his father the mask includes its box where is written on the outside "young woman", and its brocade bag as well as a presentation plaque for a comparable mask cf Bonhams: https://www.bonhams.com/auction/25415/lot/285/nagasawa-kiyoharu-born-circa-1927-a-noh-mask-of-young-woman-magojiroshowa-1926-1989-era-late-20th-century/ Waka Onna: When the Kanze troupe was confronted with the other troupes who had adopted the most emblematic young women's masks, it found itself without a mask representative of the troupe The 10th Master Shakon Shigenari charged Kawachi with the delicate mission of creating a mask to represent the Kanze troupe. Despite all his genius, Kawachi could not stray from the canons established for decades. Waka Onna is a little more fleshy but still has the same traits as Ko Omote and Fukishizo. Simply in the acting she differentiates herself. Ko Omote is charming and pretty, Mago Giro of a sensual beauty. Waka Onna and Fukishizo mutate sensuality into beauty and grace. The Kanze troupe played with restrained elegance, unlike the exuberance of the Kongo troupe (Magojiro) or the simple interpretation of the Konparu and Kita troupe.