2 Coupelles Imari 18eme

2 Imari cups from Japan 1780
Mid-Edo Period

shochikubai pattern (combination of pine, bamboo and plum) and phoenix

This set of three plants, which bloom with beautiful leaves and flowers even in the harsh winter and evoke a feeling of rich vitality, has been particularly well appreciated in Japan.

Pine trees have a lifespan of 1,000 years and their leaves do not change color throughout the year. They are therefore called “evergreen” and are considered auspicious.

Bamboo is a plant so full of life that it reaches the same height as its parent in about three months.
Additionally, it does not wilt throughout the year and continues to produce new buds one after the other. For this reason, it has been considered a symbol of descending prosperity since the Muromachi period.

Finally, plum blossoms are considered a symbol of prosperity, nobility and longevity, as they are the first plants to bring the news of spring, even in cold weather.