Aside from being a phenomenal tree and a phenomenal pot, there’s a relaxed in-synch feeling, like the pot and tree are old friends who have been together for a long time. This might have something to do with the color, texture, soft lines and aged look of each (and because they are both so phenomenal). The color and texture of the stand fits right in too, while a little contrast is provided by its sharp rectangular lines. All together a masterpiece. The artist is François Gau (pot by Greg Ceramics). All three photos in this post are from Parlons Bonsai (I took the liberty to crop all three to bring the trees closer).
The three trees shown here all have at least three things in common: They are all Boxwood bonsai (Buxus sempervirens). They all appeared in a 2013 bonsai show in Saulieu France (European Bonsai San Show). And, they are all remarkably powerful.
Aside from the remarkably powerful part, what caught my attention is the fact that these three trees and several others in the aforementioned show are Boxwoods. Have there ever been so many great boxwood bonsai in one place? If there have been, my guess would be in China or Taiwan. In fact, I would be surprised if these trees didn’t originally come from there.
This wild old tree is little more rugged and rough than the one above. That ruggedness and the long stretch of trunk without foliage, leans a little toward literati, though the lush foliage and deep pot betray that definition. If this were your tree, would you remove the strange branch on the left? Or maybe eliminate the inward growing foliage and create a jin? The artist is Raymond Claerr (pot by Isabelia).
When I first saw this tree, my eye went straight to the large hole at the base of the trunk and the jagged wood that frames it. It took a few moments and a more relaxed gaze to take in and appreciate the power of the whole tree. The pot is great though I wonder if it’s a little too strong. The artist is once again François Gau (the pot is Chinese and looks like it might be Yixing).
A few of our large selection of Yixing Bonsai Pots. All qualify for Free Shipping in the U.S.
Wayne, regarding your question about the second tree in this incredible collection of boxwoods, if it were my tree I would definitely remove the strange branch on the left. The reason is that the leftward inclination of the massive trunk provides sufficient balance to complement the major foliage mass at the apex. To me, the left branch and small foliage pad there are superfluous and a distraction from the strength of the overall composition.
You can also follow François Gau on his facebook page :
https://www.facebook.com/francois.gau.9
Concerning boxwood, Mr Gau is considered to be the national expert, I remember attending one of his conference in my hometown of Carcassonne where he displayed and worked on seven different amazing trees. He is also one of the leading masters in the yamadori movement, promoting the use of local species as a way to better root the art of Bonsaï in Europe.
The reason for his predilection for boxwood comes from the location of his garden, just north of a limestone mountain range named the Corbières.
It is a very dry area with scorching summers and windy winters, that produces very gnarly, thick-barked hardy boxwoods with an insanely fine-grained hard as stone wood. They are very unique and totally different from the stock you get from China.
“Have there ever been so many great boxwood bonsai in one place? If there have been, my guess would be in China or Taiwan. In fact, I would be surprised if these trees didn’t originally come from there.”
hi wayne.
they are not imported materials, at least the first and third tree have been collected in france, and i guess the second one as well.
the first tree is actually two trees put together.
regards
emmanuel.
There was an article a couple of years back in Bonsai Focus showing Francois Gau digging massive buxux semervirens, both on mountains and in what look like rural hedges. They’re very nice. I’ve dug a couple of hedges myself of buxus japonica here in California. I wish people here took them more seriously as bonsai material. They’re available, interesting and look old at a young age.
here’s a picture of François Gau’s tree before the addition of the second tree. The photo has been taken in 2011 during the “Festival International du Bonsai” which became the ” European Bonsai San Show” in 2013.
http://www.parlonsbonsai.com/forums/uploads/post-82-0-64986100-1318101083.jpg