(Small head), 1896.
Woodcut on Japan paper, 3.4 x 3.4 cm. Signed in pencil. The early, vignette-like woodcuts, of which "Kleiner Kopf" is the smallest, were created before Orlik travelled to Japan (an experience that would strongly influence Orlik's understanding of woodcuts and the subjects captured in this technique). They were first printed in 1920 as a portfolio of 100 copies with the title "Kleine Holzschnitte 1896-99" by Julius Ruckenbrod and published by Pan-Presse/Otto v. Holten in Berlin. Reference: Matsche 32.
"In 1896, my friend Pankok and I lived as neighbours in Munich. Both painter-etchers. One day we had the idea of cutting a small stamp in wood - a monogram - a mark that was to be embossed on our etchings as a dry stamp. A wood engraver known to us - or rather wood engraver, "Xylograph" - donated a few pieces of boxwood, three discarded gravers and gave us brief instructions on how to use the tool and how to make hand prints with the folding bone. [...] The new graphic problem and the pleasure I took in the beautiful material gave me so much pleasure that I produced a large number of woodcuts over the next few years, 1896-1899." (Emil Orlik: from the introduction to "Kleine Holzschnitte")
