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Arts of Asia

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Charger with “Three Friends of Winter” motif

1868-1911
20th century
18 3/8 in. (46.67 cm)

Japanese, late Meiji period, Japanese, (1868–1912)

Object Type: Asian
Medium and Support: Porcelain with underglaze cobalt blue
Credit Line: Gift of Wyldon Burgess Nail Harrold
Accession Number: 1981.320

Object Description
The central roundel of the charger features the pine, plum, and bamboo motif known as the "Three Friends of Winter" (shochikubai). The cavetto is decorated with a wide band of a dese stylized wave pattern. The exterior has arabesque (karakusa) motifs and five solid blue bands, The central motif is known as the "Three Friends of Winter" (shochikubai), an ensemble motif of Chinese origin that teams the pine, plum, and bamboo, which are all symbols of winter, long life, and the cultured gentleman. This convention of linking the three plants, which are consistently ranked in the same order, remains so popular among the Japanese that they use the Three Friends as both a design motif and an elegant system of designating such things as banquet rooms or menu options in traditional restaurants.

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