Nasori Mask painting
Japanese Nasori mask painting on handmade washi paper, 15 in. x 10.75 in. Depicting a grotesque demon or monster face.
Item was brought to Los Angeles Paper Group unframed in an archival clamshell box.
Subject: The image shows a fearsome, large head with pale skin, wide, bulging eyes outlined in red, and a gaping mouth with large fangs.
Support (Paper)
Executed on thin, handmade washi paper, grey-toned, with visible fiber inclusions and natural irregularities consistent with traditional manufacture.
Sheet exhibits overall planar distortion, including gentle undulation and soft cockling, likely inherent to the paper and exacerbated by past handling and environmental fluctuation.
Multiple small round holes present along the upper edge (recto and verso), consistent with prior pinning, tacking, or hanging.
Edge wear evident along all margins, including soft creasing, minor nicks, and slight losses at corners.
Paper shows overall discoloration/toning, consistent with age and exposure; no evidence of active mold.
Media (Paint & Drawing)
Image appears executed in water-based pigments with ink outlines.
Pigment application is thin and matte, typical of traditional brushwork on absorbent paper.
Abrasion and surface wear visible throughout the painted areas, particularly in lighter passages of the face and forehead.
Localized losses and thinning of pigment evident, especially along raised or handled areas.
Red and black pigments remain visually strong, though slightly muted by surface abrasion.
No significant flaking observed at time of examination; media appears generally well-adhered but vulnerable due to paper flexibility.
Verso
Verso displays brush bleed-through and tonal migration from recto media, consistent with absorbent washi.
Handwritten Japanese characters and seals visible in ink and red stamp; inscriptions appear stable.
Evidence of handling grime and surface soiling, particularly toward edges.
No backing or lining present; verso fully exposed.
Structural Condition
Sheet is structurally intact, though fragile.
Existing holes and edge wear represent points of weakness.
No previous conservation lining, fills, or adhesive residues observed.
Overall Condition Assessment
Fair to Good, commensurate with age and materials.
The work retains strong visual presence but exhibits expected wear associated with thin washi paper, historical handling, and unmounted storage. The object remains stable but is highly sensitive to handling, light, and environmental change.
Item was brought to Los Angeles Paper Group unframed in an archival clamshell box.
Subject: The image shows a fearsome, large head with pale skin, wide, bulging eyes outlined in red, and a gaping mouth with large fangs.
Support (Paper)
Executed on thin, handmade washi paper, grey-toned, with visible fiber inclusions and natural irregularities consistent with traditional manufacture.
Sheet exhibits overall planar distortion, including gentle undulation and soft cockling, likely inherent to the paper and exacerbated by past handling and environmental fluctuation.
Multiple small round holes present along the upper edge (recto and verso), consistent with prior pinning, tacking, or hanging.
Edge wear evident along all margins, including soft creasing, minor nicks, and slight losses at corners.
Paper shows overall discoloration/toning, consistent with age and exposure; no evidence of active mold.
Media (Paint & Drawing)
Image appears executed in water-based pigments with ink outlines.
Pigment application is thin and matte, typical of traditional brushwork on absorbent paper.
Abrasion and surface wear visible throughout the painted areas, particularly in lighter passages of the face and forehead.
Localized losses and thinning of pigment evident, especially along raised or handled areas.
Red and black pigments remain visually strong, though slightly muted by surface abrasion.
No significant flaking observed at time of examination; media appears generally well-adhered but vulnerable due to paper flexibility.
Verso
Verso displays brush bleed-through and tonal migration from recto media, consistent with absorbent washi.
Handwritten Japanese characters and seals visible in ink and red stamp; inscriptions appear stable.
Evidence of handling grime and surface soiling, particularly toward edges.
No backing or lining present; verso fully exposed.
Structural Condition
Sheet is structurally intact, though fragile.
Existing holes and edge wear represent points of weakness.
No previous conservation lining, fills, or adhesive residues observed.
Overall Condition Assessment
Fair to Good, commensurate with age and materials.
The work retains strong visual presence but exhibits expected wear associated with thin washi paper, historical handling, and unmounted storage. The object remains stable but is highly sensitive to handling, light, and environmental change.
Procedures
Artwork was examined, photographed and documented by John A Davis of Los Angeles Paper Group on 1/16/2026. Some information was obtained from previous reports provided and from Chatgpt.Disclaimer
The object and/or subject of this report is private property. This page is for informational purposes only. Unless clearly stated otherwise, all conservation and restoration has been performed by Poster Mountain (PM) or Los Angeles Paper Group (LAPG)I) PM-LAPG has not knowingly withheld any significant information from its evaluation report and to the best of its knowledge all statements and evaluations in this report are true and correct.
II) PM-LAPG stated in the Evaluation Report its own personal, unbiased and professional analysis, opinions and conclusions, which are subject to the assumptions and limited conditions in this evaluation report as set forth hereinabove.
III) PM-LAPG has no present or prospective interests in the property which is the subject matter of this report and it has no present or prospective personal interests or bias with respect to the participants in this matter.
IV) PM-LAPG and its employment and/or compensation for performing this evaluation or any future anticipated evaluation was not conditioned on any agreement or understanding, written or otherwise, that it would report (or present analysis in support) as predetermined specific authenticity, a predetermined evaluation that favors the cause of any party or the attainment of any specific result or occurrence of a specific subsequent event, such as value or marketability.
V) PM-LAPG prepared all opinions and conclusions about the subject property that were set forth in this Evaluation Report. If it has relied on significant evaluation assistance from any individual or individuals in the performance of this evaluation or the appropriation of this evaluation report, PM-LAPG has named such individuals and disclosed the specific task performed in this evaluation report. PM-LAPG certifies that any individual so named is qualified to the same extent as PM to perform the task. PM-LAPG has not authorized anyone to make a change to any item in this evaluation report, therefore, any change made to this evaluation is unauthorized and PM-LAPG will not take responsibility for it.
VI) The Client may not disclose or distribute this Evaluation Report to any potential purchasers of the subject property without first obtaining PM-LAPG's prior written consent. This consent must be obtained before this evaluation report may be disclosed or distributed to any other party, including, but not limited to, the public through advertising, public relations, news, sales, or other media.