Square Jar with Birds and Flowers (lid)
Unknown Artist
late 1600s
Medium
Porcelain with overglaze color enamels and gold (Hizen ware, Kakiemon type)
Dimensions
{"overall":{"height":0.278,"width":0.116}}
Classification
Ceramic
Department
Japanese Art
Museum
Cleveland Museum of Art
Credit
Severance and Greta Millikin Collection
Accession Number
1964.277.b
About this artwork
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.