A distinctive vintage Japanese decorative mask depicting Okina (翁), created by the renowned sculptor Sōtarō Saegusa (三枝惣太郎, 1911–2006).
The mask presents the serene, smiling face of Okina, one of the most ancient and auspicious figures associated with Japanese Noh tradition. With gently closed eyes, pronounced cheeks, a small pointed beard and stylised floral-like motifs across the forehead, the figure conveys a feeling of warmth, dignity and benevolence. Its restrained reddish-brown finish allows the sculptural modelling of the face to remain the central focus.
In the world of Noh, Okina is closely associated with longevity, prosperity, peace and blessings for the community. Rather than simply representing an elderly man, Okina has a sacred and celebratory character and traditionally appears in performances connected with prayers for happiness, abundant harvests and long life. For this reason, images of Okina are also appreciated as auspicious decorative objects.
Sōtarō Saegusa was a Japanese sculptor artisan. His artistic practice combined traditional Japanese aesthetic sensibilities with a more modern sculptural approach, often reducing historical or symbolic subjects to elegant, highly recognisable forms. This Okina mask reflects that sensibility particularly well: the traditional iconography remains immediately identifiable, while the simplified modelling gives the work a quietly modern presence.
A beautiful meeting of Noh imagery, Japanese auspicious symbolism and twentieth-century sculptural design, this piece would make an especially interesting addition to a collection of Japanese masks, Noh-related objects, Shōwa-period decorative arts or works by Sōtarō Saegusa.
Size: 8 x 12 x 2.5cm
