Onnamen: Daigan & Ko-Omote - [Noh masks]

Onnamen; Daigan.(泥眼) & Ko-omote.(能面, 小面) - "Masks of change" - [Noh masks]

• About these masks: Two Good examples of 'Onna-kei or 'women masks'. - In traditional noh theatre: despite often being the protagonists in stories, in the past women did not perform! - [For archaic reasons; quite similar to Shakesphere! thankfully thats changed today!] - But, As such, there are well over 60 different kinds of 'onnamen' mask out there, each representing a girl or a woman at a different age, emotion or maturity; Most Onnamen noh masks are not supernatural and represent normal girls. - However the exception is the Deigan (泥眼) mask; which unlike other Onna-kei styled masks; the Deigan uniquely has golden rimmed eyes and teeth (as well as a subtle, slightly dishevelled hair line!) Gold: when used in the contexts of Noh masks typically represents something supernatural, (or otherwise, intense, raw emotions. (As such you'll notice gold is especially present, and often used on animal, yokai, ghosts &/or kami-masks!)

So; The Deigan mask (sometimes also known as the "Muddy mask") has a supernatural aura or feeling about it: it is typically used to foreshadow a change or a transformation, it can be a realization, an ascendance towards enlightenment, or a fall towards jealousy evil and revenge... (You could also think of it as the 'in between' from an average noh mask and a furious hannya.) -- Of course, that all depends on the actors choices as well as the plot of the story, noh masks where used at the actors discretion after all! – one per act. and performed very slowly to bring out the 'mood' of that scene. - Keep in mind that this mask looks very similar to others and that not all Onnamen masks are "Deigan" masks! the golden eyes are key!

Incidentally the "Ko-Omote" mask is a "Lovable girl" mask (a blushing bride perhaps.) Of all the different kinds of the Onnamen noh masks; Ko-omote are usually the most cheery looking ones. at least  compared to others, which typically go for the standard, emotionless 'blank face' which can be often seen as pretty uncanny or eerie! either way, these masks are 'brought to life' when a performer dons them! a tilt to the light changes their expression completely.

An easy way to tell if your mask is a male or a female? - Girls hair tends to part straight down the centre! meanwhile, male masks (generally called: 'Otoko') tend to either be bald, or are worn with incredibly wild wigs!

• See also: Hannya, Okame.

[Art stickers by @samkalensky (Yo, thats me!) part of my Noh mask collection of stickers! follow & support for many more]