Three Friends in Snow

This work represents the oldest extant example of the Three Friends of Winter (pine, prunus, bamboo) that was painted in Japan. Because of the theme’s association with the literati culture of the continent it was a favored theme in the Japanese Zen community. It is inscribed by five Zen priests active between 1420 and 1430.

— Museum description: Kyoto National Museum (CC BY 4.0), via ColBase / Japan Search.