Clifton Karhu : Roofs Offset Lithograph

Artist: Clifton Karhu (1927–2007) Title: "Roofs" Size:(10.1/2x9.1/2in) Date: 1975. Medium: An Offset Lithographic high-quality reproduction of Clifton Karhu’s original woodblock design. Paper Type: Gloss-Coated. Publisher: Yamada Joichi, Unsodo. Provenance: From the private collection of Norman H. Tolman and his wife, prominent collectors of Japanese contemporary graphic art. This work was part of a touring exhibition across the United States (1974–75), sponsored by the Japanese Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Japan Foundation. Description: Karhu’s Roofs is a masterful study in urban geometry and nocturnal mood, depicting a densely packed residential district under the veil of night. The composition is a tapestry of overlapping rooftops rendered in deep blues and blacks, creating a sense of depth, compression, and quiet complexity.• Illuminated windows in vibrant reds, oranges, and yellows punctuate the darkness, suggesting life within—moments of warmth, solitude, or quiet conversation.• The rooftops form a rhythmic grid, their angles and shadows orchestrated with Karhu’s signature precision, evoking both architectural order and emotional mystery.• The absence of figures heightens the contemplative tone, allowing the viewer to imagine the unseen lives behind each glowing pane. This lithograph exemplifies Karhu’s ability to transform everyday urban scenery into poetic abstraction, where light becomes narrative and structure becomes emotion.

A detailed description is available upon request. Please examine the pictures carefully, as this print may show noticeable stains, marks, and toning due to its age.