The outer edges of the canvas have been textured. There is a faint gold drybrush to give the painting an aged look. Plum Blossoms are the Chinese national flower and are the symbol of longevity. The symbol on the lower right side is MEI which means beautiful or Pretty. The USA is called Mei Gou in the short form. Gou means country "Miegou" Colors may vary depending on your monitor settings. The vase is Cobalt Blue.