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27-Sep-2005
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#1 |
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Enthusiast
 
Join Date: Feb-2005
Location: Carlsbad, California..coastal desert
Country: United States
USDA Zone: 11
Posts: 5,412
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How traditional are the pots?
Take a look at this man's collection of bonsai pots:
http://www.wafu.com/collection/index.htm (click on the pots link, then on each individual potters name) If, as we are told, it is traditional to use plain brown pots for pines, etc, and muted colors for flowering trees, and if the pots we use tend to be shallower and wider, why are so many of this man's antique pots shaped to be deeper and painted in such lovely bright colors and scenes? How old are the traditions on what pot to use, after all? And as an aside, look at the construction of the pots. Really they are quite different than those we use now. Can someone give us an insight into this please? Joanie |
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How traditional are the pots? |
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27-Sep-2005
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#2 |
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Hi Joanie,
I know that pot styles have changed over time, they tend to be shallower and not quite as "heavily decorated" as they once were. I believe that they go in and out of style over time. One thing is certain, the color wheel and the relationship between the shape and visual weight of the bonsai compared to the shape and visual weight of the pot never changes, just the combinations we make of them.  Will |
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27-Sep-2005
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#3 |
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bonsaiTALK Neophyte
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Hi Joanie,
How did you come across this site? I, of course, don't know the answer to the 'how traditional' question, but I'm certainly interested to find out. These pots seem so stunningly modern and yet touchingly historic - truly works of art. I wish the rest of the site had all the pages active, I would love to see more of same. It seems as though use of these pots could be so asthetically gratifying even if woefully incorrect. Would it really be so horrible to use an "incorrect" pot as a beautiful accent in the comfort and privacy of ones own collection, to be admired and appreciated all the more for being slightly scandalous and rebellious, (with an 'almost there' little treasure growing away completely oblivious to the decor of its container)? I hope the rules allow just enough wiggle room to accommodate various tastes and preferences of style and color. There must be some variety of tree that would be just perfect for one of these pots.... |
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27-Sep-2005
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#4 |
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Enthusiast
Join Date: Feb-2005
Location: Carlsbad, California..coastal desert
Country: United States
USDA Zone: 11
Posts: 5,412
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To find this site I just googled "bonsai art pot" or something close...I had seen his site before.
I think that the Japanese esthetic of using muted colors and pots that are inconspicuous is a more recent development than we tend to believe. My guess is less that 100 years old, and was probably part of their own evolution of style. That's what I'm curious about.... and if some of the trees we see in Japan are hundreds of years old, were they planted in more elaborate and decorative pots before? Are there drawings or paintings of them pre-war? So little survived the war. You can plant whatever you like in whatever pot tickles your fancy, for your own enjoyment. Indeed, to me, understanding the historical context and using this kind of pot to create a historical type of tree/pot combo might be very fascinating.... Joanie |
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27-Sep-2005
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#5 |
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Boonified
 
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If you look at Kokufu books, the vast majority if not all of the pots you see used are antique Chinese. The shohin pots typically are brighter and more playful, as are the pots companion plants are in. When the tree is of a small size, it is not distracting to use a brighter pot. If you plant a large conifer in a large, brightly glazed / decorated pot, it is distracting and inhibits the impression of this majestic larger tree. Larger, old flowering and fruiting trees, however, are contrasted nicely with a more decorative pot. (This is probably due to the usually deteriorating, declining, rotting old tree trunk accented by the fresh crop of fruit or burst of blooms - a celebration of what this old marvel of nature can still accomplish emphasized by a "loud" pot that is chosen to emphasize the flowers or the fruit.)
I have a few antique pots, as old as 150 years, and for the most part they are subtle and unglazed. Also, thinking back to the antique pot shops I visited while in Japan, most of the pots were pretty inauspicious, except for the shohin pots. All had gorgeous patinas from their age, and this was the source of their beauty and value. The one difference I do note is the depth of the pot (older are often deeper). I wonder if this is in part due to advancement in repotting techinique which allows for a shallower root base without sacrificing the health of the tree.
__________________
Sincerely, Howard www.BonsaiSmiths.net |
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