A vintage shikishi card features a vibrant 貴石畫 (Kiseki-ga) artwork, a unique Japanese decorative art that utilizes crushed semiprecious stones to form colorful and textured compositions. The central motif is a brilliantly phoenix perched gracefully on a plum blossom tree branch. The artwork is rich with symbolism: the plum blossoms (ume) represent resilience and renewal, blooming even in the cold of winter, while the long-tailed bird symbolizes elegance, beauty, and auspicious fortune.
Rendered in dazzling mineral pigments, the bird’s plumage glows with a rainbow spectrum, emerald green, sapphire blue, fiery red, and gold, enhanced with tactile, gem textures. The card is mounted on a natural wooden frame with a string for hanging and a small bronze bell, adding a charming audible element to the visual beauty. 山陰路 (San'in-ji) – meaning “San'in Road,” a historic region and route in western Japan.
