Bronze figure of a kagura dancer, Japan, Meiji period, 1868-1912

Bronze figure of a Kagura dancer
Japan
Meiji period, 1868-1912
Bronze
Height approx. 24 cm
Signature "Unrai" in silver-inlaid seal script

The excellently crafted bronze shows a Shinto priest wearing a mask in a snapshot of the moment of movement during the ceremonial Kagura dance, as the left arm thrown back allows the overlong sleeves of his robe to briefly wrap around the back of his head.
Kagura performances serve to appease and entertain the kami, the Shinto gods, and have been practised since time immemorial. During the early Meiji period, Shinto and Buddhism were separated in Japan, with the former being favoured for patriotic reasons. It was in this environment that first-class bronze sculptures of Shinto subjects for secular use were created, whereas bronze had previously been largely reserved for Buddhist rituals.