Terracotta Netsuke, Isofuki, Japan, Meiji Period

This terracotta netsuke mask, of the Onko-yaki type, comes from Gifu Prefecture, one of the historical centers of this refined ceramic production. It represents Isofuki, a comic character from Kyōgen theater, captured here in a burlesque and grating expression. 5 cm high, it dates from the Meiji period. The modeling is taut and expressive: the swollen cheekbones, the pinched mouth, the narrow eyes, and the prominent nose convey an exaggerated face, perhaps in a groan or a breath, typical of the roles of drunkards, cheeky fishermen, or marginal characters favored by popular theater. Isofuki embodies comic excess in its freest forms, with energy concentrated in the tension of the features. Isofuki is a character from the Kyōgen repertoire, comic theater performed as an interlude in Noh plays. Its name can be translated as "he who blows on the rocks" or "sea breath," and it embodies a grotesque character, often a drunken peasant, a boastful fisherman, or a mischievous outsider, depending on the interpretation. The emphasis is on the exaggeration of features, burlesque expressions, outrageous mimicry—all elements that are found condensed here, in this miniature mask with its skillfully unbalanced modeling. Onko-yaki is distinguished by its iron oxide-rich, low-fired, unglazed clay with a slightly rough texture. Produced mainly in the Mino region (Gifu Prefecture), this ceramic is used almost exclusively for miniature netsuke masks. The firing here reveals a dense, warm material that captures the light without reflecting it, thus reinforcing the dramatic modeling of the face. A rare piece, concentrated in its form and precise in its execution, this netsuke mask by Isofuki testifies to the richness of Japanese comic theater and its interpretation by the artisans of Gifu during the Meiji period. It is an object where the grotesque becomes art, and where laughter passes through the earth.