Almighty painter

Chapter 337 Rules
"If you want to give me a painting to please me, you still have to see if I accept it."

Mr. Cao was silent for a moment and asked softly: "Young man Gu, don't you know the rules I have established before?"

Cao Xuan likes to collect paintings and calligraphy.

nonsense.

Wealthy painters who truly love art to the core. Throughout the ages, who has not been a part-time collector?

When the old man was young, he played with the strange stones of Taihu Lake and collected Ye Zhongsan's painted snuff bottles and Shao Daheng's purple sand scent cups. When he was young in Shanghai, he also liked to collect Montblanc platinum fountain pens and the illustrated packaging of various popular creams.

These bits and pieces are just leisure and elegance to relieve boredom.

The richest, most serious, and most important collection in Mr. Cao's home is, of course, paintings.

The old man likes to appreciate and appraise paintings.

Know the goods and be willing to spend money.

When he collects art, he doesn't care about the artist's fame or price, but only whether it suits the old man's taste.

The most authentic traditional collectors always only look at the appearance.

When you meet someone you like, a few anonymous strokes can turn into a fortune.

When they meet people who don't like it, even if they are given famous paintings and calligraphy worth thousands of dollars for free, they still feel that it is tacky and disgusting to display in their home.

Wen Wan, Wen Wan, plays with the "literary" spirit in the painting.

If it were to be turned into a fight for wealth in an auction where white wax was used as firewood and silk paved the way.

Instead, he fell behind.

Therefore, Mr. Cao’s collection list includes Henri Matisse’s beauties and Picasso’s “Smoking Woman”, as well as some works that do not seem so “worthy” of collection.

Since becoming an assistant, Lao Yang has seen it with his own eyes.

There are always two ink paintings placed in Mr. Cao's studio.

One is the landscape painting "Autumn Water Color" by Huang Binhong, a master of traditional Chinese painting, which Cao Xuan spent 2007 million yuan on in Hanhai in 1. The other is when he was collecting scenery in Bashu Fairy Mountain in 2600. I bought a piece of "Frost and Flying Grass and Trees" from an old Taoist priest in 1941.

Not counting the framing, the total cost was 13 yuan and [-] cents.

The two paintings, whose price is 1000 million times different, have been neighbors for more than ten years in the old gentleman's studio, but they are both Cao Xuan's favorites.

The master of traditional Chinese painting with brilliant pen and ink and the unknown Taoist priest with a gentle demeanor live next to each other, which is also a strange sight.

If something is good from above, it must be given to the people below.

Cao Xuan likes to collect art.

Whether they are artist friends in the literary and art circles, various big gallery agents, or wealthy businessmen who want to build relationships, they all like to paint and buy some calligraphy and painting works for the elderly gentleman to appreciate during the holidays.

Since ancient times, calligraphy and painting are like beauties.

Mr. Cao said that if you take the painting back and hide it in a box and let it gather dust and mold, even if it is the best art storage box, you will inevitably end up with "a beauty is cut off before she grows old, and a pearl is covered in dust and is miserable". Feel.

He never accepts paintings drawn by anyone casually, only those he likes.

If there are some paintings that are utilitarian and uncomfortable to look at, I would pinch my nose and take them home.

Showing it off makes him feel bad, leaving the other person sad.

Instead of putting it out there and throwing it in the box, never to take another look at it, and make this kind of hypocritical superficiality.

It's better to just do it and don't ask for it in the first place. It's a sign of respect for everyone.

The residence of a great artist is the grand courtyard of the literary and art world, the residence of a prince.

Paintings and calligraphy works are like the "beautiful girls" selected from the countryside. Whoever can enter the catalog of Mr. Cao's collection, if it is a work by a living painter, represents Cao Xuan's recognition of him, and his face will be bright.If the calligraphy and painting of a modern late famous master can be collected by Cao Xuan, and then stamped with his own seal or even a mention, this kind of inheritance story will also be an added value.

Word of mouth has it that a painter's net worth will rise if he poses with Larry Gagosian.

And to be photographed by the media, whose work can be so highly praised by Cao Xuan and displayed in the living room and study every day, the market price will definitely increase a lot.

That is to say, the old Taoist priest from Fairy Mountain died almost sixty years ago, and his name and origin cannot be verified.

It is not even known whether any other paintings have survived.

Otherwise, the anecdote that Mr. Cao loved him as much as Huang Binhong, and hung a painting beside him for a while, spread out.

Based on this kind of favor, his net worth is really exaggerated compared to Huang Binhong.

Not to mention too much, if it is doubled a hundred thousand times, it is really interesting.

Art market speculation likes to speculate on various concepts.

If you can't afford the paintings of the great artist himself, buying the works of the less "scary" painters that the great artists like to buy is an investment worth looking forward to.

Cao Xuan knew that he was a popular person, and if others gave him paintings, the value of his paintings would also increase.

After he became famous, he set a rule for himself - "Don't buy three things and don't accept five things."

The so-called three don’t buys.

When he buys works of art himself, he doesn’t buy those who are sensationalists, those who are incomprehensible, and those who are lost cultural relics.

The remaining five are not collected.

It refers to paintings sent to him by others for appreciation and collection.

Don’t accept the writing that is kitsch, the one that is pretentious, the one that has a stale artistic conception, the one that is old-fashioned, and the one that does not suit your taste.

Any private collection of Mr. Cao is the product of screening based on these principles.

There is a lot of story behind each one.

Most sensational works of art are the products of hype, such as many NFTs and star cards. It is hard to say whether they have investment value, and the aesthetic value is definitely very little.

The incomprehensible artworks are aimed at modern avant-garde paintings.

Mr. Cao’s evaluation of the entire school of avant-gardism is mixed, both good and bad.

He also likes some graffiti drawings.

But if the old man studied a painting for a long time, he found that he couldn't understand it at all.

No matter how fanciful the propaganda is and how many profound and profound principles can be interpreted, he will not be interested in touching it.

Maybe this painting is very good, but it doesn't suit him anyway, so just treat him as uneducated.

In the end, he did not buy the lost cultural relics overseas because Cao Xuan was a bit petty in this regard.

Do not misunderstand.

He still admires the patriotic businessmen overseas who rescue and bring back lost cultural relics.

It’s just what the old man thinks.

The robbers broke into the house, bullied the original owner, and took away the family heirloom.Decades and 100 years later, after working hard and becoming rich again, the original owners paid a sum of real money and bought back the things that originally belonged to them at a large price. The descendants of the robbers then took the money. Spend the money to spend your time.

Earn benefits twice before and after.

There shouldn't be any reason like this in the world.

Not only the lost cultural relics of the Eastern Xia Dynasty, the painted mummy sarcophagus of ancient Egypt, and the king's stele of ancient Syria, these things have always been in demand at auctions.

Egypt's Ministry of Antiquities Recovery has been arguing with the British Foreign Office for more than 30 years over this matter.

something like that.

No matter how much he likes it, no matter how much he wants it, no matter how good the price seems, the old gentleman will not put up a sign to buy it.

The latter five are not collected, and are more targeted at people like Gu Weijing, whether it is to please him, to gild himself, or simply to welcome him and send him off, he personally painted a painting and wanted to give it to Mr. Cao Xuan. Insiders.

The style of writing is kitsch, pretentious, the artistic conception is stale, and the atmosphere is stale—these sixteen words can basically drive away all those with evil intentions who want to rely on Mr. Cao to boost his reputation in calligraphy and painting.

The rest of the "unsuitable" part is left blank.

After all, it’s a door-to-door gift.

When Cao Xuan returned someone else's work without accepting it, both parties had a step to go down.

It’s not necessarily that your painting is tacky or bad, it might just be that it doesn’t suit his “eyes”.

However, the idea is good.

The reality is that in today's Eastern art market, whether there is any difference in the minds of collectors between hearing that a certain painter is not in Cao Xuan's eyes and that this person's works are tacky and bad...

This is beyond Mr. Cao's control.

At first.

When he made this rule, it was quite offensive. The paintings that were relegated to the cold palace by Mr. Cao were not only juniors who wanted to gain fame.

As long as the old gentleman feels it is not good, even the first and second-tier painters will accept it and reject it.

Just because of this.The old man was embarrassed by many bosses and officials who wanted to be arty. He also had a tense relationship with a certain painter who ranked high on the Hurun Artists' [-] Rich List.

Cao Xuan still goes his own way and does not change his principles.

He can fool around with other things, but only in calligraphy and painting, black and white are clear, and there is no room for any sand in his eyes.

Many years ago, at a painting exhibition, he was introduced to Malaysia's Mr. Liu Chuanwang.

At the banquet at the Ship King's house, the art-loving Ship King Liu was going to take one of his paintings as a souvenir. You must know that such a rich and noble person is a rich man that every painter in the stage of fame can meet but cannot ask for.

Cao Xuan, on the other hand, was just like the stubborn Taihu Stone, no matter how others tried to persuade him, he would not give in.

The old ship king asked why.

Cao Xuan had to answer that the painting was not to his liking and he didn't like it.

Liu Chuanwang had an ugly look on his face, he slapped the table and said angrily, I just bought your paintings with enough money to buy a whole street of shops in Kuala Lumpur city, but you didn’t even have the dignity to do so in front of so many customers. If you don't give it to me, you don't know what is good or bad.He really doesn't know how to behave.

Mr. Cao also replied firmly that he bought his painting because the ship king appreciated the integrity of his works, and he was grateful for this.

But he really couldn't appreciate Ship King's paintings, so he refused to accept them. This was his principle. If he violated his principles easily, his paintings would not be worth an entire street in Kuala Lumpur.

Ship King, you probably don’t want your investment to shrink so quickly.

The Ship King himself is an art enthusiast and has learned painting and calligraphy from many famous teachers for more than ten years. He asked the maid to bring five scrolls from the study, each of which was a work that made him proud.

However, Mr. Cao refused five times in a row under the increasingly gloomy expression of the old ship king.

to the end.

Cao Xuan didn't even make superficial remarks. He said directly that these paintings were very tacky and had no collection value.

The painter friend who came with me at the dinner table turned green and sat there not knowing what to do.

The old shipping king is not only the richest man among the millions of Chinese people in Malaysia, but also a powerful figure in the political and business circles.He slapped Fuhao Liu in the face so hard, he really wasn't afraid of being put in a sack and thrown into the sea.

Just when they started to worry about whether they could get out of the manor safely tonight.

On the contrary, Liu Chuanwang did not look angry, he just asked calmly, I have consulted many artist friends over the years, and everyone said that my works have a majestic temperament and orderly brushwork. You can make your debut and hold exhibitions, and become famous in East Asia.

He knew that these words were watery, and he could only listen to [-]% of them at most.

But the Ship King has always felt that he wanted to pursue art with peace of mind and develop into the art circle since childhood. He dared not talk about being a first- or second-tier painter. It would be easy for him to be a professional painter who made a living in a small local gallery and begged for food. Lifted.

Only Cao Xuan said that my works are vulgar and unbearable. Why is this?
Mr. Cao, who was not yet an old man at the time, asked, "Do you believe them or me?"

Liu Chuanwang thought for a while, nodded and said, I believe you.

So Mr. Cao replied, with your painting talent, it is not impossible to be hungry, it depends on luck.

However, these paintings are unremarkable. Only the inscription on one of them, "Higurashi Sea Breeze", is a bit immature, but when taken alone, it has aura, is not tacky, and is different.

It doesn't look like it was written by you, right?
After hearing this, the old ship king was silent for a few seconds, then suddenly burst into laughter, abandoned all the guests, stood up and walked out of the banquet hall.

After a while, he led a little boy who was less than ten years old and came closer, bowed to Mr. Cao, and then asked the little boy to kneel down and kowtow to Cao Xuan.

This incident is still regarded as one of the most proud things in Liu Ziming's life.

Over the years, over time.

The high-end art circle has become accustomed to Mr. Cao's "rules". Those who are not confident enough in themselves will rarely dare to send Mr. Cao's autographed works.

same.

If someone's works were hung on the walls of Cao Xuan's home, even if they were among the top [-] painters on the Hurun Art Rich List, it would be something worthy of showing off on WeChat.

"Gu Weijing probably doesn't know about this."

Old Yang shook his head.

Cao Xuan's three things he won't buy and five things he won't accept is not a big secret.

But it was only spread among upper-class circles who had daily contact with Mr. Cao.

After all, anyone who wants to send a painting to Cao Xuan must have a chance to find him.

Gu Weijing, his grandfather and grandson, definitely didn't have the connections to get in touch with such high-class gossip and interesting secrets.

"You mean, you want me to reject him directly?"

Lao Yang secretly thought that deep down in his heart, Lao Cao did not yet regard Gu Weijing as his direct disciple.

Mr. Cao's principle is to face the outsiders who are welcomed and sent away.

Disciples like Lin Tao and Tang Ning are a family, so naturally they are not included in this list.

If my apprentice is not good at painting, I have to blame the teacher for not teaching well. How can I extrapolate that?
Lao Yang originally wanted to see whether the old man would accept it or not.

Of course, if Gu Weijing's works could go beyond those twelve words and create a new world, this problem would not exist.

Even if it is a painting by a beggar on the street, Mr. Cao will definitely regard it as a treasure.

If he is a truly outstanding painter and creates outstanding works, even if his original goal is to become famous through him, Mr. Cao will feel happy with it, and even this is a matter of course.

However, this possibility is almost zero.

Lao Yang thought about it with his heels, and felt that even if Gu Weijing could escape the word "artificiality" by chance, the "brushwork is kitsch" would definitely not escape the tribute works painted by Gu Weijing in this state of mind.

Mr. Cao lowered his head and thought without speaking.

Whether Gu Weijing was considered an outsider or not, the old man was unusually hesitant when faced with this question.

The elevator doors slid open.

Lao Yang read his employer's hesitation and was sensible enough not to rush him. He looked down at his phone and took the initiative to change the topic.

"Mr. Cao, wait a few minutes. I just asked the administrative office about what happened outside the building. They replied that there should be students from the photography department last week who wanted to shoot a university-themed campus background. They wanted to use you as the campus background. Part of the cultural environment was filmed as a camera, but their application has been rejected by the school. It should be done privately."

HFBK's painting department is a cutting-edge subject that has only reached the top ten on various lists in the past ten years.In the past, the Department of Photography was the most famous and powerful department in the school, producing many famous directors of literary and artistic films who won awards at the Berlin and Venice Film Festivals.

The students on campus also make movies very formally and presentably.

"You wait here for a few minutes. I'll call the security office to disperse them, or I'll just ask the driver to drive to the back door."

Lao Yang was very annoyed by these extraneous things and suggested.

It was a good idea to let the old man participate in their student film and then become a tool for free publicity. These people paid for the portrait!
"What are you doing driving these kids away? My old face is so ugly. It's a pity that they should have informed me beforehand. They should have worn a more energetic wig."

Mr. Cao shook his head, touched the top of his head with his hand, and gently arranged the old man's thin and soft hair into a beautiful shape.

"Just pamper these children." Lao Yang shook his head helplessly.

Cao Xuan took two steps forward, then stopped and looked at his assistant: "By the way, you take the back door, I will take these two steps myself."

"Why?" Old Yang was confused.

"That doesn't look good."

The old man raised his neck and said, "I don't want it. He looks like an old man in the camera. He has to be helped when walking. I'm not that old yet."

"Okay, please take it easy."

Lao Yang stopped helplessly. Naturally, he would not go to the back door immediately. He just stood there and watched the old gentleman step by step closer to the sunshine outside.

"By the way, that child's painting."

When Cao Xuan's steps happened to be at the junction of light and dark, the old man stopped again and turned his head.

"You say."

"Let him do the same as before and send the photo first. If the painting is too bad, don't blame me for feeling bad."

"understood."

Lao Yang nodded.

If you are an outsider, this painting should not be accepted.

If you are a disciple, this painting should be accepted.

Asking Gu Weijing to send photos of the paintings was because Mr. Cao wanted to see if his paintings, which he was upset and angry about, would be too bad to be seen. It was also an opportunity to show mercy outside the law.

"Kid, it depends on your luck. Since you have the guts to send paintings to Mr. Cao, you must have two brushes at least. Otherwise, you have no brains and can't blame others. Painting well is an opportunity, but if you paint badly, everyone will I can’t save you.”

Lao Yang turned his head and took out his mobile phone to start typing.

after an hour.

When Mr. Cao finished lunch and drank tea at home, Mr. Yang came over with the drawing that was still warm from the printer and placed it in front of his eyes.

Mr. Cao casually picked up his reading glasses and looked up.

(End of this chapter)