Legacy Trees
“The Legacy and Culture of Bonsai Provenance: Exploring the Roots and Significance of Iconic Trees”
Excerpts from Apic92 and a thread on BonsaiNut
How does the provenance of a bonsai tree influence its aesthetic appeal, value, and cultural significance?
Are there iconic bonsai trees with rich histories and lineages that stand out in your mind, and what stories do they tell?
How do different cultures perceive and value the provenance of bonsai trees, and how is this reflected in the preservation and transmission of cultural heritage?
In what ways can we as enthusiasts trace, authenticate, and honor the provenance of a bonsai, ensuring that its legacy is preserved and communicated?
These questions aim to guide us in a thoughtful exploration of the legacy and culture of bonsai provenance. Whether you're drawn to the individual stories behind specific trees or the broader resonance of provenance within the art of bonsai, your insights and experiences will enrich our understanding.
Bonsai in America is only beginning to develop a "bonsai history" with legacy trees handed down generation to generation, due to the initial work of some groundbreaking pioneers working with native species. Trees made by pioneers such as John Naka, Mary Madison, Vaughn Banting, Harry Hirao (to name only a few notables) have become more valuable for their provenance, as well as their design.
https://www.washingtonpost.com/local/the-case-of-the-cias-bonsai-being-the-true-story-of-a-big-gift-of-a-little-tree/2019/10/01/24e536c0-e461-11e9-a6e8-8759c5c7f608_story.html
“Bonsai as a technique isn't just about creating the image of an old tree. It's about creating an actual old tree, in less time. That is to say, it's about slowing a tree down, so it grows in the manner a mature tree would, but smaller. It's about simulating the phase of tree growth where a mature tree just can't grow any taller, and it has to grow out and down. That's why "finished" trees shouldn't be repotted any more often than strictly necessary. The pot is a part of what slows the tree down to grow in a mature manner. Isn't that why Ryan Neil talks so much about energy balance?”
Gabler Aug 24, 2023