Keywords
Art History
Sculpture
The Ten Greatest Ancient Sculptors of Noh masks *nōmen 能面, as rated in Kamenfu 仮面譜 (The Genealogy of Masks) published by Kita Konō 喜多古能 in 1797. The sculptors are Nikkō 日光, Miroku 弥勒, Yasha 夜叉, Bunzō 文蔵, Tatsuemon 龍右衛門, Shakuzuru 赤鶴, Himi 氷見 (日氷), Echi 越智, Kōji 小牛, and Tokuwaka 徳若. The names slightly vary between manuscripts, and Sankōbō 三光坊 is sometimes included instead of Tokuwaka. Jissaku are said to be the next rank to Shinsaku 神作 (The Divine Sculptors) and to be followed by rokusaku 六作 (The Six Greatest Ancient Sculptors); Zōami 増阿弥, Fukurai 福来 (? Ishiōhyōe 石王兵衛), Haruwaka 春若, Hōrai 宝来, Chigusa 千種, and Sankōbō 三光坊.