Fan for the Noh theatre

Fan for the Noh theatre is held by Badisches Landesmuseum Karlsruhe. Museum description: The folding fan consists of a sturdy, smooth wooden frame and a paper leaf painted purely ornamentally on both sides with red-gold, cloud-like dabs.

The paint has a metallic gold sheen. Possibly a silk cover, which is no longer preserved, belonged to this fan. The folding fan or Noh fan was among the essential accessories of the costumed actors in Noh drama. "Noh" is a form of Japanese theatre that is traditionally performed or danced only by men, accompanied by music. Usually the principal actor ("Shite") wears a mask. The themes revolve primarily around stories from Japanese or Chinese mythology and literature.

Today, some Noh plays address contemporary themes with the participation of female actors. The roots can be traced back to the Chinese "Nuo" of the Tang period (61 The museum record gives measurements length: 18.5 cm (leaf); length: 32.2 cm (overall). These details come from the holding museum's own record; how far this object represents a wider collectible type has not yet been independently verified.