Clifton Karhu - Kyoto Roofs - Japan

Name: Clifton Karhu - Kyoto Roofs - Japan
Brand: Kumo Arts
Price: 1800.00 GBP
Availability: OutOfStock

£1,800.00

Modern | Sōsaku Hanga Woodblock Print

Clifton Karhu’s 1966 woodblock offers a sweeping aerial view of Kyoto’s interlocking tile roofs in layered blues, each carved with rhythmic precision, while windows glow soft with a golden warmth below - an intimate flicker of domestic life set against the cool expanse of ancient rooftops - inviting the viewer to imagine the world unfolding within those hidden chambers. 🏠🌃

Year & Edition: 1966 · Ed. of 25 (15/25) (titled, editioned & signed in pencil to plate).
Medium: Woodblock.
Dimensions: Image W: 66.00 cm × H: 51.00 cm; Sheet W: 69.00 cm × H: 54.00 cm.
Condition: Very fine; vibrant, unblemished colours with no fading, foxing, folds or creases; paper crisp with only subtle print impression and faint verso bleed-through.
Notes: An exceptionally rare large-format work from Karhu’s early rooftop series - preceding his celebrated Roofs, Roofs, Roofs (1968), Muromachi Roofs (1978) and Nishijin Roofs (1983) - this print’s edition of just 25 makes it particularly prized. The complex tapestry of tile patterns and that single glowing window capture both the quietude and architectural rhythm of Kyoto’s historic cityscape.

About the Artist

Clifton Karhu (1927-2007) was an American-born woodblock printmaker who spent most of his life in Kyoto. His bold lines and vivid colours captured the character of Kyoto’s machiya townhouses and quiet backstreets, earning him recognition both in Japan and internationally. His works are held in major museum collections around the world. Karhu’s legacy lives on through his family and The Tolman Collection, his long-time representatives. Today, his son Joel Karhu continues the tradition with a striking printmaking practice of his own. [ ← View All Works by Clifton Karhu]