Aside from being a phenomenal tree and a great pot, there's a relaxed in-synch feeling, like the pot and tree are old friends. This might have something to do with the color, texture, soft lines and aged look of each. The color and texture of the stand fits right in too, while 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).
Yesterday we featured some shots from last weekend’s 2015 European Bonsai San show in Saulieu, France. I’m running way behind schedule today so we’ll save some time and dig up a Bark post on the 2013 show. It was titled “Have There Ever Been So Many Great Boxwood Bonsai in One Place?”
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 all have powerful trunks.
Aside from the 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 (looks like another one of my bad guesses; see the comments to the original post).
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).
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