Clifton Karhu - Shimogawara Cho

Modern | Sōsaku Hanga Woodblock Print

Clifton Karhu’s 1985 print leads you down Shimogawara Cho, a narrow alley in Kyoto’s historic Gion district. Warm earth-toned townhouses, their stone walls and shoji lattice screens crisply defined, flank the intimate passage, capturing a moment of timeless urban tranquility. 🏯🌙

• Year & Edition: 1985 · Ed. of 100 (59/100) (signed in pencil, lower right).
• Medium: Woodblock.
• Dimensions: Image W: 68.00 cm × H: 26.50 cm; Sheet W: 73.00 cm × H: 31.50 cm.
• Condition: Excellent; image unmarked with crisp colours; paper edges sharp & intact, with faint mat burn from previous framing.
• Notes: A beautifully intimate scene of traditional stone-walled, shoji-screened townhouses along one of Gion’s most atmospheric lanes. 

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]