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 mask maker for both classical noh and kyogen theater. This gorgeous volume features more than sixty of his performance masks, presented in striking full-page photographs that allow readers to appreciate their level of detail. These meticulous creations are carved from hinoki wood, decorated with layers of gesso-paint, and thin watercolor antiquing, and sometimes include materials such as horsehair and gold paint. Readers are introduced first to classical and then to contemporary noh and kyogen masks and are invited into Hideta’s workshop to explore the characteristics of the wood he uses, and the processes of creating, restoring, and wearing the masks. An overview of the basic elements of noh and kyogen theater, and reflections from museums that have worked with Kitazawa, complete this vibrant, immersive journey that celebrates the work of a contemporary artist who is not only preserving a centuries old theatrical tradition, but also remaking it for modern audiences.