Bugaku Mask (Sanju)

An item at Metropolitan Museum of Art

This Bugaku dance mask representing a strong-willed warrior was used in a military-style dance related to the legends of Chūai (reigned 192–200), the fourteenth emperor of Japan. For more than twelve hundred years, the dance primarily took place at the Japanese imperial court. Bugaku court dance incorporates Buddhist as well as Shinto traditions, and is typically accompanied by Gagaku music.

Asian Art

An exhibit at Metropolitan Museum of Art

The Met's collection of Asian art—more than 35,000 objects, ranging in date from the third millennium B.C. to the twenty-first century—is one of the largest and most comprehensive in the world. Each of the many civilizations of Asia is represented by outstanding works, providing an unrivaled experience of the artistic traditions of nearly half the world.

Metropolitan Museum of Art