Luxiem Ukiyoe

Luxiem Ukiyoe Special Story

Because Ukiyoe woodblock prints by well-known artists such as Katsushika Hokusai and Utagawa Hiroshige have fetched high prices at auctions, many people may think that “Ukiyoe = fine art that is highly sought after by collectors around the world.”

However, once you realize Ukiyoe was originally made for a mass audience, you'll probably want to see it with your own eyes and to learn more about it.

Which brings us to the question: why did the cutting-edge culture of VTubers cross over with the traditional art of Ukiyoe? On this page, we will introduce just a little of the story of Ukiyoe that Japan proudly presents to the world.

What is Ukiyoe?

Today, you can easily get information simply by connecting to the Internet. However, how did people in the past get information about the latest trends?
Yes, during Japan’s Edo period (1603–1868), Ukiyoe was regarded as “media” created for the masses.

Across 200 years, as woodblock print techniques advanced, from the small everyday lives of ordinary people that would not appear in major historical events to vivid far-away landscapes and performing arts like Kabuki…what was shown there was truly the “living voices” of each individual of that era.

And even today, Ukiyoe draws the latest trends-new performing world of VTubers.

Traditional Techniques

The techniques of Ukiyoe initially began from drawing with a brush, but later, to mass-produce a single image, woodblock prints came to be used. Just as printing once changed the world, because woodblock prints made mass production possible, Ukiyoe developed as popular culture for ordinary people.

But “mass production” was not something that could be done easily.
Paper made specifically for printing had to be prepared, multiple woodblocks were used, and careful planning and experience were required to decide the exact order in which to print and layer the colors into a single finished image.

So that the skills, sharpened through extraordinary trial and error, were polished until they shone with a beautiful sparkle, like a Japanese sword.

Technique and Culture, further into the future

The “publisher,” who functions like a modern producer, oversees the planning and direction; the “artist” creates the design, the “carver” (woodblock engraver) executes the woodblocks, and the “printer” prints the work. While this division of labor is common today, their exceptional skill and organizational teamwork were truly unparalleled.
This “Luxiem Ukiyoe” is made on the highest-grade Echizen Kisuki Hōsho paper, a traditional Japanese washi handmade by the Living National Treasure (an Important Intangible Cultural Property of Japan), and is said to have been loved by Van Gogh and Picasso. Additionally, it is entirely carved and printed by hand using traditional Edo-period techniques by artisans recognized for their exceptional skills in “Important Selected Preservation Techniques for Folk Cultural Properties.”

Can you imagine how special that is?
It means that, on one page of the long history of Japanese Ukiyoe, the name Luxiem has been clearly engraved.
As a message from us living today, to the distant future.

Gallery

A traditionally made one-of-a-kind sheet of washi

A highly rare sheet of washi, “handmade” by a Living National Treasure and said to have been favored by Van Gogh, is used. Therefore, the cutting process and texture vary from piece to piece, showcasing the unique characteristics of one-of-a-kind products.

“Washi in which the pigment has seeped through to the reverse side” is something you won’t see in ordinary prints, and it is one of the hallmarks of authentic Ukiyoe woodblock prints.

Precision Craftsmanship in the Woodblocks

Crafted with the precise carving skills unique to traditional artisans, the woodblocks are the heart of Ukiyoe woodblock prints, combining remarkable beauty with the durability to withstand hundreds of prints.

Over ten woodblocks were made, one for each color, and it took an enormous amount of time to align them perfectly so the colors could be printed one by one without the slightest misalignment.

Proof of “Authenticity”

A certificate of authenticity is included to certify that this is an authentic traditional Ukiyoe woodblock print.

Framing it in your preferred style and displaying it side by side further enhances its dignity as a genuine work of art.
Seize this opportunity to acquire the good fortune of owning a genuine traditional work of art.