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Japanese Six Panel Screen: Winter Scene of Pine, Plum, and Bamboo Under Crescent Moon

Pine, plum and bamboo are known as the three friends of winter, because they all thrive and bloom during the winter months. The Japanese phrase for the three friends is Shochikobai. Here we see a dormant plum tree (which will bloom in February), pine trees in the background, and bamboo ground cover. Wonderful texture with thick mineral pigments, bold painting style, and limited color palette. Unusual and beautiful. Early Taisho period (1912 - 1926) painting in thick mineral pigments on mulberry paper. Artist signature on the lower right reads: Ryuji.