Auspicious Valuables, anonymous, c. 1700 - c. 1799

woodcut, h 357mm × w 258mm More details

The valuable objects depicted here refer to obtaining good fortune. The plum blossom and camellias stand for the winter or the arrival of the new year. The vase symbolizes peace, the pomegranate denotes fertility, and the Chinese characters shou on the vase mean ‘long life’. This type of print is used to celebrate the new year. On that occasion, the old print is replaced or ritually burned.