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Noh and Kyogen Masks

Tradition and Modernity in the Art of Kitazawa Hideta

Jannette Cheong author Richard Emmert author Hamish Todd author

Format:Hardback

Publisher:Prestel

Published:3rd Sep '24

Should be back in stock very soon

Noh and Kyogen Masks cover

Featuring breathtaking photographs of masks created by a renowned twenty-first-century craftsman, this book provides a unique perspective into noh and kyogen, two of the oldest surviving forms of theater in the world. Kitazawa Hideta is a traditional Japanese master craftsman, Shinto-temple carver and noh mask maker who creates masks for both classical noh and kyogen theatre. This gorgeous volume features more than sixty of his performance masks, presented in striking full-page photographs that allow readers to appreciate the level of detail that goes into these meticulous creations, which are carved from hinoki wood, decorated with layers of gesso-paint, thin watercolor antiquing, and sometimes include materials such as horsehair and gold paint. Readers are introduced first to classical and then contemporary noh and kyogen masks and are then invited into Hideta's workshop to explore the characteristics of the wood he uses; the processes of creating, restoring, and wearing the masks; and the basic principles of noh and kyogen theater. Reflections from those who have worked with Kitazawa complete this vibrant, immersive journey that celebrates the work of a contemporary artisan who is not only preserving a centuries-old theatrical tradition, but also remaking it for modern audiences.

ISBN: 9783791377537

Dimensions: unknown

Weight: 567g

224 pages