<b>FUJIYAMA</b> / Clifton Karhu1988<b>SOLD</b></em>

Details

It is said: eventually, every artist working in Japan, particularly printmakers, must take up the challenge of capturing Mt. Fuji. Karhu worked from life, producing print designs of well-known locales he visited throughout Japan. Being an expat living in Kyoto, Karhu had the ability to visit Mt. Fuji countless times. It may be surprising to know that Karhu finally took up this challenge at the age of 77 in 1988.

Karhu’s Mt. Fuji dominates the design, taking two thirds of the composition. Fuji’s massive profile is so expansive that Karhu fails to contain it all in the composition, as the peak extends far beyond the design’s limits—this is notable in that the design is Karhu’s largest work measuring 26-by-35 inches! The cityscape below is dwarfed by this majestic mountain’s immense stature. Though the design may seem to exaggerate proportions, every person who has seen Fuji in person will tell the same tale Karhu so eloquently recounts.

Utilizing only six color blocks, the print features subdued pigmentation, particularly for an artist known for bright and innovative use of color. Though sparse, the color expressed within the composition is quite thought provoking and masterfully executed. The sparse block-like components of white, gray, and large enclosures of black that comprise Mt. Fuji suggests its vast stature as it interacts with the dawning light of day. The deep lush red at the right of the design, suggesting the first light of dawn, was printed by the artist six times to obtain the depth he desired. Though late in life, Karhu seized the bull by the horns and produced an outstanding view of Mt. Fuji—a masterpiece and perhaps the artist’s best work.

Connoisseur's Note

Fujiyama is the largest work Karhu produced. This impression is in an exceedingly fine state of preservation. The print’s colors are as fresh and vivid as the day the work was executed, as the original owner never framed or exposed it to light for prolonged periods of time. It’s quite rare to find oversized prints, such as this one, in excellent condition, as the far majority of these prints suffered from poor framing practices and light exposure.