Beautiful rare hand painted "SHO-CHIKU-BAI" "THREE FRIENDS OF WINTER" Pattern VASE by FUKAGAWA SEIJI Arita, Japan!

The PINE is done in soft green needles and from soft blue to "fukagawa blue"/perfected intense cobalt blue and outlined and gilt. The fukagawa blue trunk is both outlined in gilt with gilt strokes here an there to imply texture to the bark.

The BAMBOO leaves are delicately enameled in mostly soft green leaves and from soft blue to fukagawa blue and gilded leaves for contrast.

The UME blossoms are in ochre red with a couple of totally gilded blossoms for contrast. There are buds and the trunk is grey/brown. Below are also bamboo leaves.

To bind the three aspects, they're all growing out of a delft blue gnarly looking thingy with holes in it. (In other depictions, these holes have other flowers growing inside the holes) Always wondered what they were as I seen them in both floral patterns from China and in Chinois floral patterns in Western pieces? I’ve come to the conclusion until enlightened by someone knowledgeable that these are Japanese or Chinese “rock gardens” containing “taihu stones” of eroded limestone in fantastical and grotesque shapes! As this was painted in Japan, the interpretation is quite clear. (When the Dutch [and other faience producers] painters were flatteringly imitating the Ming designs and Arita designs, there was a cultural gap. I've seen this as the Dutch copied the Ming, then the Qing copied the Dutch to recapture their lost market and some of the scenes get almost off-worldly...haha!)

The vase is graceful both because of its classic shape and that the porcelain is thin enough that light shines through. Would display well upon a lit stand.

> Pine - longevity, steadfastness, and self-discipline, endurance, long life

> Bamboo - youth, suppleness, strength, endurance, flexibility, longevity (also symbol of summer)

> Bamboo, lucky - luck, money, quick achievement, strength, endurance

> Plum blossom - strong personality, unafraid of difficulties (also symbol of winter, since the tree blossoms in the end of winter)

> High, Middle, Low Ranking