@Adair M ,
Actually Sifu .
clip and grow is supposed to be technique from I believe from the late 1800's
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Penjing
"Near the end of the 19th century, the
Lingnan or Cantonese school of "Clip and Grow" styling was developed at a monastery in southeast China. Fast-growing tropical trees and shrubs could be more easily and quickly shaped using these techniques.
[24]"
24 = Wu, Yee-Sun (1969).
Man Lung Garden Artistic Pot Plants. Wing-Lung Bank Ltd. p. 63.
_________________________________________________________________________________
Though another articles says that the technique was used in the 15th Century downwards.
I suspect however that the image is very much just a painted effort.
Thanks for looking and commenting.
Good Day
Anthony