Bonsai

Bonsai - Body

How can a tree be structured to look like a miniature version of its natural form? How can a person work with a tree’s natural growth processes to create a living artwork?

The above questions guide the creative processes of bonsai artists. A bonsai is an artistic representation of a mature tree. Bonsai is created in a partnership between the tree and the artist.

The tree has physical characteristics that it brings to the artistic partnership. These physical characteristics include the line of the trunk, the shape of the crown (branches and leaves at the top of the tree), and the texture and color of the leaves, trunk, and branches. Watch this video to explore the physical characteristics of a California Juniper in The Huntington’s bonsai collection.

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Bonsai Close Looking Video

Explore this bonsai with questions about shape, movement, and mathematical patterns.

Proportion, Balance, and Harmony

When a bonsai artist shapes (or “trains”) a plant, they use the physical characteristics of the tree to create proportion, balance, and harmony in the bonsai. Proportion, balance, and harmony (also called unity) are three of the principles of design.

  • Proportion refers to the spatial relationships within the bonsai. A bonsai artist might ask, Do the proportions of the bonsai mimic the proportions of a tree in nature? Bonsai should remind the viewer of ancient trees in nature, so it is important that the artist gets the proportions right.

  • Balance refers to the way the viewer sees the weight of the tree. A bonsai artist might ask, Does the tree seem stable or like it is about to fall over? Bonsai should feel stable, so it is important that the artist create a sense of balance.

  • Harmony refers to the presence of similar and dissimilar (different) features in a bonsai. Examples include rough vs. smooth, thick vs. thin, long vs. short. A bonsai artist might ask, How do the similar and dissimilar features of the plant work together? Bonsai should look cohesive, like all the pieces make sense together, so it is important that the artist create a sense of harmony.

Bonsai artists use artistic and horticultural (plant-care) skills to shape their artworks.

A bonsai artist's hands touching the branches of a bonsai.

A bonsai artist pruning. Photograph by Paul Anderson. The Huntington Library, Art Museum, and Botanical Gardens.

Math Connection: Fractals and Pruning

Fractals are never-ending patterns. They are created by repeating a simple process over and over again. Trees have fractal structure! They repeat the process of creating branches over and over again throughout their lives.

Understanding the fractal structure of trees helps bonsai artists in their design efforts as they try to replicate those fractal structures in their bonsai. The fractals of trees serve as guidance. They are like a language that the trees use to communicate.

“When we learn the language of the trees, the trees will tell us when it's time to prune and where to prune.” —Ted Matson, Curator of the Bonsai Collections

Bonsai artists can use fractals to imagine the future growth of the trees, and to carefully remove certain leaves and branches to help the plant grow in specific directions. This careful removal of branches and leaves is called pruning.

Bonsai is never a finished work of art. The artist works on the plant throughout the plant’s life, and the artwork changes as the plant grows. Fractals are one way the plant communicates with the artist throughout its life.

A bonsai artist pruning. Photograph by Paul Anderson. The Huntington Library, Art Museum, and Botanical Gardens.

A fig bonsai with a bulbous trunk and large green leaves against a black background.

Ficus carica (fig). Donated by Dr. Hart Isaacs. Photograph by Paul Anderson. The Huntington Library, Art Museum, and Botanical Gardens. 138826.

A Japanese Black Pine bonsai with a curved stem and domed foliage grows against a black background.

Pinus thunbergii (Japanese black pine). Donated by Ed Murakami. Photograph by Paul Anderson. The Huntington Library, Art Museum, and Botanical Gardens. 81442.

A Cork Bark Elm bonsai grows with seven distinct trunk-like structures in a landscape-style formation against a black background.

Ulmus parvifolia (cork bark elm). Donated by Robert Moor. Photograph by Paul Anderson. The Huntington Library, Art Museum, and Botanical Gardens. 72363.

A Ficus bonsai with aerial roots crossed across the trunk and three bunches of leaves against a black background.

Ficus. Donated by the Bergstein family. Photograph by Paul Anderson. The Huntington Library, Art Museum, and Botanical Gardens. 134583.

A Satsuma Plum bonsai with red leaves and small red fruit against a black background.

Prunus cerasifera (satsuma plum), Donated by Kathy Benson. Photograph by Paul Anderson The Huntington Library, Art Museum, and Botanical Gardens. 139952.

A purple leaf plum bonsai with angular branches and small white flowers against a black background.

Prunus cerasifera (purple leaf plum). Styled by Ben Oki. Donated by the Oki family. Photograph by Paul Anderson. The Huntington Library, Art Museum, and Botanical Gardens. 133975.

A Foemina Juniper bonsai with a vertical trunk and layers of rounded foliage grows against a black background.

Juniperus chinensis (Foemina juniper). Designed by Ben Oki. Donated in honor of Robert Moor. Photograph by Paul Anderson. The Huntington Library, Art Museum, and Botanical Gardens. 72354.

A prostrate juniper bonsai with an acute angle in its trunk grows against a black background.

Juniperus communis (prostrate juniper). Donated by the Oki family in memory of Sadako Oki. Photograph by Paul Anderson. The Huntington Library, Art Museum, and Botanical Gardens. 108001.

A California Juniper bonsai with a large trunk grows at a dramatic angle against a black background.

Juniperus californica (California juniper). Donated by Shig Miya. Photograph by Paul Anderson. The Huntington Library, Art Museum, and Botanical Gardens. 90183.

A pomegranate bonsai with no leaves or blossoms and with a large hollow in its trunk grows against a black background.

Punica granatum (pomegranate). Donated by Kathy Boomsa, Golden State Bonsai Federation. Photograph by Paul Anderson. The Huntington Library, Art Museum, and Botanical Gardens. 87887.

A bonsai wisteria with drooping purple flowers against a black background.

Wisteria sinensis (wisteria). Donated by the Bergstein Family. Photograph by Paul Anderson The Huntington Library, Art Museum, and Botanical Gardens. 134581.

Choose one of the above bonsai. Allow the questions and prompts below to guide your observations. Once you’re done, you can choose a second bonsai and repeat the process. Compare your responses for the two bonsai. You can also compare your responses to those of a peer.

Questions & Prompts

Adapted from David de Groot’s Bonsai Evaluation Form.

  • What name or title would you give to the bonsai? Why?

  • Does the bonsai seem to have a theme? What do you think the bonsai artist is trying to say?

  • Which emotions do you feel when you look at the bonsai? Does it remind you of any memories?

  • Does the bonsai seem more abstract or representational? Does it tell a story?

  • What relationships do you see between the plant’s length and height?

  • Where do you see symmetry on this bonsai? Where do you see asymmetry?

  • Describe the lines, shapes, forms, textures, and colors you see on the bonsai. Describe the space you see around the bonsai.

  • Assess the proportion, balance, and harmony of the bonsai.

  • Do the proportions of the bonsai mimic the proportions of a tree in nature?

  • Does the tree seem stable or like it is about to fall over?

  • How do the similar and dissimilar features of the plant work together?

  • Does the bonsai appear to be healthy? Why or why not?

Practice the Art of Observation

Bonsai is about observing the features of ancient trees and finding ways to replicate these features in miniature.

  1. Find an old tree that you think is beautiful. Local parks, schools, botanical gardens, and arboretums are all great places to find old trees.

  1. Carefully observe its features. You might want to use sketching or notes to help you with your observations.

  1. If you were to create a bonsai inspired by the tree, which features would you want to highlight? Why?

References and Resources

Adams, Peter D. 1989. The Art of Bonsai. London: Ward Lock.

Ceronio, Charles S. 1999. Bonsai Styles of the World. Pretoria : C.S. Ceronio.

DeGroot, David. 2015. Principles of Bonsai Design. Lynnville, IN: American Bonsai Society.

Fractal Foundation. n.d. “What Are Fractals?” Accessed July 28, 2021. https://fractalfoundation.org/resources/what-are-fractals/.

Naka, John Yoshio. 1980. Bonsai Techniques. Santa Monica: Dennis-Landman Publishers.