KANO TESSAI: A LACQUERED WOOD MASK NETSUKE OF KONGO-RIKISHI By Kano Tessai (1845-1925), signed Tessai with kakihan Japan, early 20th century Published: Rutherston, Max (2017) Japanese Masks, Peter E. Müller, no. 9. A miniature portrait of the Gigaku mask of Kongo-Rikishi. A central bridge forms the himotoshi on the reverse, where also the signature TESSAI 鐵哉 and kakihan is located. With original tomobako (wood storage box), inscribed Shosoin, gyobutsu no ichi (gomotsu no ichi), Tessai tsutsushinde mosu (kinmo) [One of the treasures of the Shosoin Repository, Tessai copied with reverence] and sealed Tessai with kakihan. HEIGHT 4.9 cm Condition: Good condition. Minor wear and remains of old paint, the flaking of the lacquer is partially on purpose, as Tessai was known to reproduce exact images of historical masks. Provenance: Peter E. Müller Mask Collection.