Museum help

[kissakai]

Hi 

I assume this is the first question of many!

I will be allowing quite a few of my tsuba to be included in to a local museums Samurai exhibit

I will be adding more items and will be doing the technical help etc

 

What do you think the theme is of these items?

Ignore the poor quality kozuka image (it is a good as the tsuba) as I have to do another image

I will be half a dozen 'monkey' tsuba

 

  

 

[vajo]

Monkey show entertainment.

 

[kissakai]

Thanks Chris

I always thought these to be monkey masks so may have been used in various forms of drama

I looked at some videos of monkey shows and found it disturbed me but maybe I'm too sensitive!

I have no idea why this theme was put on a tsuba and kozuka and perhaps never will

 

[MauroP]

Hi Grev,

indeed it looks like a Noh or Kyogen  mask (小猿 - Kozaru - Child Monkey) rather a true monkey.

https://nohmask.jp/mask/k_kozaru.html

[Bazza]

Hopefully not an allusion to Hideyoshi...

 

BaZZa.

[Spartancrest]

Hi Grev I found this reference on Noh masks. The local macque monkey as you probably know are called 'Saru'

 

"A collective name for Noh and kyōgen used until the start of the Meiji era. Sarugaku derives from sangaku, which came to Japan from the Tang Dynasty during the Nara era and was combined with ancient Japanese comedies. Sarugaku flourished during the Heian and Kamakura eras, and was at the time strongly comedic and broad based, including skits, acrobatics and magic. In the middle of the Kamakura era Sarugaku split into Noh, with a more serious dramatic nature, and kyōgen, with more comedic dialogue, and the two began to be collectively known as Sarugaku. After that, until the end of the Meiji era both Noh and kyōgen actors were called Sarugaku, but during the Meiji era when Noh began to receive the support of the nobility, the term saru (or “monkey”) fell out of favor, and the two began to be called nohgaku."

 

It may be a tongue in cheek poke at taking life too serious, or may show what the owner prefered as far as entertainment - just a theory.

[SteveM]

I think the stick and the rope point to the street entertainment (monkey-handling, or sarumawashi in Japanese), as Chris said. 

猿回し図

 

https://blog.goo.ne.jp/tsuba_001/e/d0e1b51ac75d9d584546e17f8ad129eb

https://blog.goo.ne.jp/tsuba_001/m/201301/1

 

[vajo]

Grev you find various old paintings with samurai making entertainment with monkey-handling. I didn't find it disturbing. Its a pet. 

[Akitombo]

Grev

When and where is the exhibition please?

David

[Baka Gaijin]

Just an aside, last year I walked past  a Monkey show in a car park near the Ryogoku Kokugikan Sumo Hall, on the way to the new NBTHK Hakubutsukan.

 

It was quite crowded with onlookers.

[kissakai]

If Covid allows it will be Feb/March 2021 at Riversley Park Museum in Nuneaton

Nearer the date I'll add some images but it will be quite small

I've already said this will be a basic taster and if successful would lead to a bigger/better exhibition in the future

I'm unsure if it is a mask or show

 

[vajo]

Grev you can call it for sure as noh theater but the theme is the same. Monkey show.

 

 

 Ape, rope and stick.

[kissakai]

 

Earlier Post

Posted October 15, 2020

If Covid allows it will be Feb/March 2021 at Riversley Park Museum in Nuneaton. England

Nearer the date I'll add some images but it will be quite small

I've already said this will be a basic taster and if successful would lead to a bigger/better exhibition in the future

 

New

I've been told that this Tsuba plus exhibition will start 2nd April and end the 22nd May 2022

This should be an ideal date for me and I'll add a few more details later

The exhibition is located close to the center of England

 

[John A Stuart]

Grev. Am I missing something with this recent post? John

[kissakai]

It's a post from last year

I'm the main contributor and advisor for my local museum

It should have been held in Jan 2021 but due to Covid was delayed and the Museum have just given me the new dates

 

[John A Stuart]

I see. aaaawhat are the new dates? John