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Square Jar with Birds and Flowers (lid)
From the collection of Cleveland Museum of Art. Free to download, adapt and use — no permission needed.
About this work
This lidded square jar was likely paired with a complementary yet nonidentical mate. The pine tree, plum, and bamboo together form the frequently depicted motif known as the Three Friends of Winter ( shōchikubai ), so named because of their hardy perseverance in the cold. Each side also features a pair of birds, including cranes on one face and pheasants on another.
Cleveland Museum of Art’s own descriptionCredit lineSquare Jar with Birds and Flowers (lid) (色絵花鳥文四角壺), late 1600s. Japan, Edo period (1615–1868). Porcelain with overglaze color enamels and gold (Hizen ware, Kakiemon type); overall: 27.8 x 11.6 cm (10 15/16 x 4 9/16 in.). The Cleveland Museum of Art, Severance and Greta Millikin Collection, 1964.277.b
