Shiko Munakata Prints and Multiples

Japanese, 1903-1975

Shiko Munakata is by many regarded as one of the most significant modern Japanese artists of the twentieth century. His art work consists of paintings, prints, ceramics and calligraphy. Looking at his art work, the way he produced it and his fame, one could be tempted to call him the Japanese Picasso of the twentieth century - in every aspect. Born in Aomori Shiko Munakata was born as the son of a blacksmith in Aomori Prefecture, located in the North of Japan's main island. He first began to paint in oil as a self-taught artist. Later in 1924 he went to Tokyo to study art. Three years after the artist's death, the city of Aomori opened the Munakata Shiko Memorial Museum of Art. The museum web site has one page with a summary of the career of the artist in English. At the age of 23 Munakata Shiko saw a woodblock print by Sumio Kawakami and decided to try woodblocks himself. Under the guidance of Unichi Hiratuka he learned the art of making moku-hanga - woodblock prints. Three years later he exhibited four woodblocks at the Shunyokai exhibition. From then on Munakata Shiko was a hanga artist - a print artist. He continued to exhibit and by and by his reputation grew. After World War II had ended, the artist became famous outside Japan. His works were shown at the Lugano Print Exhibition in 1952, the Sao Paulo Biennal in 1955, the Venice Biennal in 1956. In each of these exhibitions he was awarded with first prizes. After these successful exhibition, Munakata went to the U.S., where he lectured at different universities and had numerous solo exhibitions. Munakata Shiko preferred to call his prints banga, which could be translated like picture made from a wooden panel. Munakata was a practicing Buddhist. Many of his prints and paintings show religious subjects. Other subjects are taken from Japanese legends or from nature. Munakata's prints are larger than the traditional Japanese oban (10x15 inches = 25.4x38 cm) size. With his larger-sized prints he followed Western contemporary artist's and the buying habits of Western clients. Japanese homes are usually small and have little wall space to hang art work and therefore Japanese art buyers tend to buy smaller sizes. A Munakata print is usually in black and white. The techniques he used are woodblocks, woodcuts and lithographs. Like Pablo Picasso, Shiko Munakata worked spontaneously, fast and was extremely prolific. Shiko Munakata died in Tokyo in 1975 at the age of 72.

Artist: Shiko Munakata

Shiko MunakataNo Footprints Show, Where the Flowers Grow Deep, 1961

$300

No Footprints Show, Where the Flowers Grow Deep

By Shiko Munakata

Located in Fairlawn, OH

No Footprints Show, Where the Flowers Grow Deep Woodcut, 1961 Unsigned (as isssued) From: The "Way" of the Woodcut, three woodcuts, 1961 Publisher: Pratt Adlib Press, Brooklyn, New Y...

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1960s Modern Shiko Munakata Prints and Multiples

Materials

Woodcut

Shiko MunakataUntiled Faces, c. 1960

$1,850

Untiled Faces

By Shiko Munakata

Located in Santa Monica, CA

SHIKO MUNAKATA (1903 – 1975) UNTITLED FACES ca 1960. -- Color woodcut on thin Japan paper. Signed in pencil. with Chops, printed image 15 x 12 ¾”, Sheet 19 7/8 x 15 7/8” $1,...

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1960s Modern Shiko Munakata Prints and Multiples

Materials

Woodcut, Color

Shiko MunakataPoplar Tree B, c. 1959

$3,500

Poplar Tree B

By Shiko Munakata

Located in Fairlawn, OH

Poplar Tree B Lithograph, c. 1959 Signed and numbered in pencil by the artist (see photo) Artist's red stamp lower left margin (see photo) Edition: 50 (20/50) Printed by Arthur Flory...

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1950s Modern Shiko Munakata Prints and Multiples

Materials

Lithograph

Gaston LarrieuOriginal Cote de Atlantiques - Chemins de fer Francais vintage travel poster, 1971

$750

H 39 in W 24.5 in D 0.3 in

Original Cote de Atlantiques - Chemins de fer Francais vintage travel poster

Located in Spokane, WA

Côte de l’Atlantique, Chemins de fer Français vintage SNCF travel poster - Gaston Larrieu, 1971. Original Authentic Vintage Travel Poster — Linen-Backed. Very good condition, ready ...

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1970s American Modern Shiko Munakata Prints and Multiples

Materials

Lithograph

Kind of CyanRain Over Mountain, Modern Art in Blue Tones, Landscape, Cyanotype Monotype 2024, 2024

$390

H 40 in W 28 in

Rain Over Mountain, Modern Art in Blue Tones, Landscape, Cyanotype Monotype 2024

By Kind of Cyan

Located in Barcelona, ES

This is an exclusive handprinted unique cyanotype that takes its inspiration from the mid-century modern shapes. It's made by layering paper cutouts and different exposures using uv-...

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2010s Modern Shiko Munakata Prints and Multiples

Materials

Watercolor, Lithograph, Monotype, Paper

Kind of CyanCoastal Blue Cyanotype of Day Time Seascape, Cold Waves, Nautical Painting Shore, 2025

$435

H 28 in W 40 in

Coastal Blue Cyanotype of Day Time Seascape, Cold Waves, Nautical Painting Shore

By Kind of Cyan

Located in Barcelona, ES

This is an exclusive handprinted limited edition cyanotype. "Day Time Seascape in Blue" is a handmade cyanotype print portraying the vibrant reflections of the Sun as seen from the c...

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2010s Modern Shiko Munakata Prints and Multiples

Materials

Paper, Watercolor, Lithograph

John MuenchJohn Muench, The Road to Stow, 1940

$750

H 9.88 in W 13.75 in

John Muench, The Road to Stow

Located in New York, NY

John Muench was a master at drawing on a lithographic stone. He was a New Englander and this is a classic subject both for him and for the area. The...

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Mid-20th Century American Modern Shiko Munakata Prints and Multiples

Materials

Lithograph

Walter DuBois RichardsWalter DuBois Richards, The Lobster Float, 1933

$750

H 5.75 in W 8.38 in

Walter DuBois Richards, The Lobster Float

By Walter DuBois Richards

Located in New York, NY

Ohio-born Walter DuBois Richards (1907-2006) was educated at the Cleveland School of Art. He re-located to New York around 1933 where he had a successful career as a commercial artis...

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1930s American Modern Shiko Munakata Prints and Multiples

Materials

Woodcut

Henry MooreSketches of Auden: black drawing based on Auden poetry and Yorkshire landscape, 1973

$970

H 25.25 in W 20.5 in

Sketches of Auden: black drawing based on Auden poetry and Yorkshire landscape

By Henry Moore

Located in New York, NY

This black and white portrait drawing is one of a series of 18 lithographs drawn by the artist for the Auden Poems/Moore Lithographs 1974 book and portfolio. This work is from an edition of 25 printed on vellum aside from the portfolio (edition of 75) and the book. Signed by the artist and numbered 8/25 lower right in pencil. This print features a pair of sketches...

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Late 20th Century Modern Shiko Munakata Prints and Multiples

Materials

Lithograph

Paul SchmittOriginal Emprunt SNCF 1957 Souscrivez vintage French railroad poster linenbacked, 1957

$1,499

H 39 in W 24.25 in D 0.3 in

Original Emprunt SNCF 1957 Souscrivez vintage French railroad poster linenbacked

Located in Spokane, WA

Original 1957 “Emprunt SNCF Souscrivez” vintage French poster by Paul Schmitt, linen-backed and ready to frame. The poster had been folded for shipment, and the fold lines were res...

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1950s American Modern Shiko Munakata Prints and Multiples

Materials

Lithograph

Werner DrewesWerner Drewes, Winter, 1933, modernist woodcut, 1933

$2,500

H 9.5 in W 12 in

Werner Drewes, Winter, 1933, modernist woodcut

By Werner Drewes

Located in New York, NY

A modernist fantasy winter scene created by Werner Drewes, this print brings key aspects of the period together. His cubist-inspired woodcut technique is utilized here to bring the s...

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1930s American Modern Shiko Munakata Prints and Multiples

Materials

Woodcut

Elwood Warren BartlettElwood W. Bartlett, Turtle Creek (Wisconsin), about 1945, mid-century wood eng., 1945

$600

H 9.13 in W 7 in

Elwood W. Bartlett, Turtle Creek (Wisconsin), about 1945, mid-century wood eng.

By Elwood Warren Bartlett

Located in New York, NY

Elwood Warren Bartlett is a Wisconsin native who also worked in Indiana. Turtle Creek (named of course for its many turtles,) is in the southeastern part of the Wisconsin. It is now ...

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1940s American Modern Shiko Munakata Prints and Multiples

Materials

Woodcut

Henry MooreLullaby: Sleeping Head, 1973

$2,400

H 25.25 in W 20.5 in

Lullaby: Sleeping Head

By Henry Moore

Located in New York, NY

Paper: 25.25 x 20.5 in. / 64.1 X 52 cm. Image: 10.75 x 11.5 in / 27.3 x 29.2 cm. One of a series of 18 lithographs drawn by the artist for the Auden Poems/Moore Lithographs 1974 bo...

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Late 20th Century Modern Shiko Munakata Prints and Multiples

Materials

Lithograph

Elwood Warren BartlettElwood W. Bartlett, Water's Edge (Wisconsin), about 1945, mid-century wood eng., 1945

$600

H 10 in W 7 in

Elwood W. Bartlett, Water's Edge (Wisconsin), about 1945, mid-century wood eng.

By Elwood Warren Bartlett

Located in New York, NY

Elwood Warren Bartlett is a Wisconsin native who also worked in Indiana. Largely self taught as a printmaker, Bartlett worked in a style that once identified as his, immediately t...

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1940s American Modern Shiko Munakata Prints and Multiples

Materials

Woodcut

Flora SchofieldFlora Schofield, Chicago Block Print Calendar, 1942, mid-century, 1942

$1,200

H 8.5 in W 11 in D 1 in

Flora Schofield, Chicago Block Print Calendar, 1942, mid-century

Located in New York, NY

As this is a calendar for 1942, the prints were no doubt made in 1941. All images are wood engravings by members of the Chicago Society of Artists. With essay by Ernest F. Detterer, Custodian, Newberry Library, Chicago. The outside measurements are 8 1/2 x 11 x 1 inches. The cover image and most of the additional works are 5 x 7 inches. The edition was planned for 2000 copies but it is extremely unlikely that that number was ever printed and this item is now scarce. There is one image per week. The stamp 'Labor (?) World Press Printers, 508 S. Kedzie Avenue, Chicago,' is on the inside cover. The first word is partly obliterated. Among the additional artists are Ethel Spears (cover image), Kathleen Blackshear, Fritizi Brod, Elise Donaldson, Frances Foy, Rowena Fry...

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1940s American Modern Shiko Munakata Prints and Multiples

Materials

Woodcut

Previously Available Items

Shiko Munakata"Femme 5" Figurative Woodblock on Rice Paper, 1954

Sold

H 27.25 in W 23 in D 1.5 in

"Femme 5" Figurative Woodblock on Rice Paper

By Shiko Munakata

Located in Soquel, CA

"Femme 5" Figurative Woodblock on Rice Paper Bold figurative composition by Shiko Munakata (Japanese, 1903-1975). A woman is shown in a squatting position, with her head tilted. She...

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1950s Cubist Shiko Munakata Prints and Multiples

Materials

Rice Paper, Woodcut, Watercolor

Shiko MunakataThe Child Plants an Oak Tree in the Garden, 1961

Sold

H 12 in W 8.25 in

The Child Plants an Oak Tree in the Garden

By Shiko Munakata

Located in Fairlawn, OH

The Child Plants an Oak Tree in the Garden Woodcut, 1961 Unsigned (as issued) From: The "Way" of the Woodcut, three woodcuts, 1961 Publisher: Pratt Adlib Press, Brooklyn, New York,19...

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1960s Modern Shiko Munakata Prints and Multiples

Materials

Woodcut

Shiko MunakataAt New York (Self Portrait), 1961

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H 12 in W 8.25 in

At New York (Self Portrait)

By Shiko Munakata

Located in Fairlawn, OH

At New York (Self Portrait) Woodcut, 1961 Unsigned (as issued) From: The "Way" of the Woodcut, three woodcuts, 1961 Publisher: Pratt Adlib Press, Brooklyn, New York,1961 Printer: Jam...

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1960s Modern Shiko Munakata Prints and Multiples

Materials

Woodcut

Shiko MunakataTEIZEN NO HAKUJUSHI, aka A PAIR OF GODDESSES, aka TWIN QUEENS, 1960

Sold

H 14 in W 11.5 in

TEIZEN NO HAKUJUSHI, aka A PAIR OF GODDESSES, aka TWIN QUEENS

By Shiko Munakata

Located in Santa Monica, CA

SHIKO MUNAKATA (1903 – 1975) Has several titles - TEIZEN NO HAKUJUSHI, aka TWO WOMEN, aka TWIN QUEENS, 1960. Woodcut, signed in pencil, with red chop. edition 100. 14 x 11 ¼”, large...

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1960s Modern Shiko Munakata Prints and Multiples

Materials

Woodcut

Shiko MunakataTHE FOUNTAIN

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H 9 in W 12 in D 1 in

THE FOUNTAIN

By Shiko Munakata

Located in Portland, ME

Munakata, Shiko (Japanese, 1903-1975). THE FOUNTAIN. Woodcut on Japan tissue, not dated. Signed "Munakata" in Japanese and Western characters in pencil, and stamped with the artist's...

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