19th – 20th Century A.D.
The hannya (般若) mask is used in Japanese noh theater and represents a jealous female demon. Hannya masks have two sharp teeth, bull-like horns, metallic eyes and leering mouth. When worn during noh theater, the hannya mask portrays the souls of women who have become demons because of either obsession or jealousy.
Hannya masks come in several skin tones: white, red, and deep red. White hannya masks are reserved for female characters of a more “refined” character, such as aristocrats. The red colors, like the mask in this collection, are used for characters that are common people or true demons. If a character is a true demon, the hannya mask is revealed after the character has been disguised as a woman previously in the play. Popular noh plays that use red hannya masks are “Doōjoōji” (道成寺), “Kurozuka” (黒塚), and “Momijigari” (紅葉狩).
