Nō theatre mask

This is an atique mask of Nō theatre, the ancient form of Japanese theatre performed by male actors only using masks and performing woman roles too. The actor can not use facial expression. The peculiarity of Nō masks is that the expression changes with little changes of head angle, a slight movement of the head will show sadness or happiness, this is the grteat difficulty of Nō theatre and the great skill of the actors and even of the masks makers. There are scientific studies about the Nō masks shape in the Western world. I took this picture at Kottoya, an antiquarian shop in Milano of my friend Luca Piattiwith artificial light, as I moved slightly up or dovn few inches, the expression changes, is amazing, so I took the picture with a quiet smiling expression.