Gojo Mask

Gojo Mask, Japanese, 19th-20th century

This 19th century Japanese Gojo costume mask portrays the daughter of the king of Wu in Gigkau, a masked dance style of theatre. The mask’s empathetic expression carved from paulownia wood, addresses the larger theme that during this era women faced serious gender inequality. This mask’s gender is female; however, only male actors were allowed to wear this mask during these dramatic performances. Gender roles played a significant role in this Japanese society and women were considered the “lesser human” because they were able to create Gigaku drama yet were not allowed to perform on stage.