Details

Katsura Rikyu is part of a suite of designs that Karhu produced of structures at the Katsura Imperial Villa, just outside of Kyoto. These grounds are considered Japanese cultural treasures, showcasing masterpieces of Japanese landscaping while the buildings are regarded among the greatest achievements of Japanese architecture.

Set in winter with a healthy snow cover, Karhu’s design honors the construction of these hallowed structures by utilizing light and color in a systematic and organized manner, echoing the subject’s formal architecture. Blocks of blue, gray, and white construct the composition and provide an astonishing sense of light filtering through. The organic shadows of trees below and the wood grain patterns in each structure deliver a sense of depth and perfectly frame the moonlight filter through the design.

Connoisseur's Note

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. 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.