Two Kuchi-e woodblock prints in one piece of paper by Shiko Munakata (1903-1975)
Subjects:  Okubi portrait of Ikuko and Glasses on Ikuko's belly
Size: paper size, 42.2 cm X 30.5 cm
         image size:  13.5 cm X 16.5 cm (Okubi portrait of Ikuko)
                              12.5 cm X 16.2 cm (Glasses on Ikuko's belly)
Signed by pencil:  Shiko (Japanese Kanji) and Munakata (Roman alphabet)
Dated by pencil: 1958
Artist's red seal: Muna
Artist's pine needle symbol by pencil
Condition: Early impression, toning paper, remains a portion of small old paper sticker on the center top edge on verso and light mat stain from previous framing otherwise in good condition.
Note:  Fifty four serialized frontispieces prints were made by request for the famous writer Tanizaki Junichiro's romance novel Kagi (The Key) in the literary magazine Chuo Koron starting in 1954. Munakata used a gouge to carve small dotlike forms out of black ground in intcglio carving (Inkoku).  He also achieved stunning contrasts between black and white surfaces.  The print of the portrait of Ikuko (a large head), the heroine of the novel Key, captivated the serial's readers and also let Munakata to develope many similar prints of O-kubie large head femal figures.