幽玄への誘い（大倉集古館） The Beauty of Noh Masks and Costumes (Okura Museum of Art)

室町時代に、観阿弥や世阿弥によって大成された能楽は、江戸時代になると”公式な芸能”となり、多くの大名家では、お抱えの能楽師を抱えていた。

明治維新後、廃藩置県によって権力を失った大名家は、生活のために自らの資産を手放さざるを得なくなり、能面や装束などを売りに出した。

この美術館の基礎を作った大倉喜八郎など、事業で巨万の富を築いた人々が、そうした能楽の道具を買い取った。

この展覧会では、備前池田家伝来の色鮮やかな能装束、有馬伯爵家旧蔵の狂言面、因州池田家伝来の能面などが展示されていた。

能装束には、牡丹や菊、柳などの紋様が刺繍されていて、日本画をそのまま着物に描いたようだ。

能面の中では、”弱法師”の悲哀に溢れた表情は、それが仮面であることを忘れさせるほど。

ここに展示されているものは幸い残ったが、明治維新の混乱の中では、失われてしまった能装束や能面も多かっただろう。

しかしそれらの能衣裳や能面などが、こうして美術館に展示されるのでなく、ずっと能舞台で使われ続けるというパラレルワールドを想像したくなった。

Noh, perfected by Kannami and Zeami in the Muromachi period, became an "official performing art" in the Edo period, and many feudal lords had their own Noh performers.

After the Meiji Restoration, feudal lords lost their power due to the abolition of feudal domains and the establishment of prefectures, and were forced to sell their assets in order to make a living, and put Noh masks and costumes up for sale.

People who made a fortune through business, such as Kihachiro Okura, who founded this museum, bought up these Noh tools.

This exhibition displayed colorful Noh costumes handed down by the Bizen Ikeda family, Kyogen masks formerly owned by the Arima Count family, and Noh masks handed down by the Inshu Ikeda family.

The Noh costumes were embroidered with patterns such as peonies, chrysanthemums, and willows, and looked like Japanese paintings painted directly onto the kimono.

Among the Noh masks, the "Yoroboshi" has such a sad expression that it's easy to forget that it's a mask.

Fortunately, the items on display here have survived, but many Noh costumes and masks were likely lost in the chaos of the Meiji Restoration.

However, I couldn't help but imagine a parallel world in which those costumes and masks would continue to be used on Noh stages forever, rather than being exhibited in a museum like this.