Ko Omote Signed Joharu Fukakusa, Showa

very beautiful mask of Ko omote "small face" signed with the cartouche of Nagasawa Kiyoharu also known as joharu fukakusa Born in 1927 he is the son of Nagasawa Ujiharu consecrated by the Japanese government as a living national treasure for noh masks he has learned the talented know-how from his father the mask has its box or is written on the outside "little face" the brocade bag has a label where it is written: the work of joharu fukakusa
note the interesting motives  engraved in the hair
for a comparable mask see Bonhams: https:/ /www.bonhams.com/auction/25415/lot/285/nagasawa-kiyoharu-born-circa-1927-a-noh-mask-of-young-woman-magojiroshowa-1926-1989-era-late-20th-century / Ko omote is the emblematic noh mask with Hannya it represents the young girl who is not 20 years old with chubby cheeks and a youthful appearance Youth, freshness and even ingenuity are her main marks of expression, we can detect a touch of irony, perhaps even malice in the young girl's smile. The repertoire in which this Ko Omote mask is played is very extensive. Donald Keen tells us in his studies that it is used by the Komparu and Kita families. The Komparu actors prefer the Ko Omote mask in the set of female masks. They love it and favor its use because of its innocence.