Almighty painter

Chapter 391 Promise

Gu Weijing recognized the work on the table.

Flowers are in full bloom.

It originally refers to a single volume in the meticulous collection of flowers and birds by Xiang Shengmo, a great scholar in the late Ming Dynasty. It depicts ten kinds of flowers in bloom, including Chiba peach blossoms, pomegranates, white peach blossoms, crabapples, and lotus roots.

Color on paper, pastel color without bones.

later.

When Chinese painters paint ten or even more than ten kinds of flowers in bloom, they can all be collectively called "Ten Flowers in Bloom" pictures.

The difference from Ms. Tang Ning's "Hundred Flowers" is that the latter has multiple flowers and plants blooming on one tree and one painting. In "Ten Flowers in Bloom", each type of flower is in a separate volume, which is a collection together. collectively.

It is one of the most orthodox flower paintings.

Gu Weijing was no stranger to this subject. He had practiced painting this subject and had seen his grandfather paint it several times since he was a child. However, the sales volume of this complete collection of flowers and birds was not very good.

Selling them separately would be superfluous.

So Mr. Gu gradually painted less and less.

It seems,

Recently, Gu Tongxiang has become more ambitious again.

At this time, what appears on the rice paper on the table is the peony picture.

This kind of gorgeous and graceful herbaceous plant without complicated focus or line changes is suitable for the Western style heavy color in Castiglione's technique to show its expertise.

how to say?

Gu Weijing looked at it.

It is still the Gu Tongxiang he is familiar with.

Familiar professional-level Chinese painting techniques, familiar professional-level oil painting techniques.

However, the two are integrated and harmonious with each other based on the Western and French heavy colors, and learn from each other's strengths to offset their weaknesses.

A brand new way of creation, coupled with my grandfather’s experience with painting brushes for most of his life, he is able to control it well.

The final visual effect is more refreshing to the audience than the ordinary second-level mid-level works.

It is estimated that it can be equivalent to a single-style painting of about Level 5.5.

Better than novelty.

No wonder the old man felt happy.

"It's indeed okay." Gu Weijing nodded.

"Is it okay? I think it's good and I should praise it from the bottom of my heart. The petals of these peonies are so noble. Look at the color, it's so delicate and beautiful."

The old man squinted his eyes and knocked on the table with the back of his hand.

This grandson is good at everything.

For one thing, it may be because my parents were not around since I was a child, and my personality is too boring.

Gu Tongxiang chewed the chrysanthemum with his teeth while expressing his opinion, "I tell you, you have character and noble character. When painting peonies, don't even think about being gaudy or gaudy. Let alone painting this flower in a flattering way." , be more vulgar and look festive. Peonies are not plum blossoms. Don’t paint this kind of flower with a dry and skinny shape. The fatter and fatter the better, so that the audience will feel lucky and prosperous when they look at it.”

"Like Awang, keep your belly round and round, right?"

Awang was licking his tail by the sofa, too lazy to talk to old man Gu, who thought he was humorous.

"Uh-huh."

Gu Weijing knew that his old man was in the exciting period of improving his skills and was full of desire to become a teacher, so he smiled and said a few perfunctory words.

"Grandpa, we'll talk about your paintings later. I think you might want to take a look at this. Didn't you ask me to hand you a copy of the contract from Mashi Gallery last week, saying it was useful to Grandpa Wu?"

Gu Weijing held the scroll in his hand.

"Yes, Grandpa Wu wanted to use it to photograph people. He also repeatedly confirmed with me that I did not make up the contract, and said that counterfeiting an official seal was a criminal offense, until I listed myself as an artist on the official website of Mas Gallery After showing it to him, he reluctantly believed it.”

I thought of old chess friends opening the official website of Ma Shi Gallery.

Old man Wu looked at Gu Tongxiang's photo and homepage in the agency artist directory, with a look of envy and hatred on the verge of yanking him away.

Gu Tongxiang was so proud that he wanted to laugh.

"Hahaha, you should really see Old Wu's dumbfounded look. We don't blame him for his lack of knowledge. How could an ordinary painter in Yangon have seen such a high-level thing! It's not that Grandpa Wu has low vision. Who told us Are the two grandsons too awesome? Right..."

He couldn't help bragging a few words, and then looked at the scroll handed over by his grandson, a little confused.

"I've already taken the copy, what are you—" Mr. Gu touched his head.

"In addition to the contract, Grandpa, you also asked me if I could ask Professor Lin Tao to issue a letter of recommendation during class every week?"

"The main thing is that it's inconvenient for you to have this conversation with Teacher Lin. Don't force it. If you really think it's inconvenient, just forget it's troublesome. You can just ask Mr. Kazunari Sakai."

Gu Tongxiang kept nodding, fearing that his grandson would annoy Lin Tao.

From the Yangon Painting and Calligraphy Association, a copy of the Mas Gallery contract was as convincing as an imperial edict.

The current pressure on the investigation mainly comes from Gu Weijing's materials reviewed by the association - "In international exchange projects, he has made relatively outstanding contributions, protected the integrity of cultural relics during restoration, and has been widely recognized by international experts. Approved. Therefore, the special qualifications for membership have been met.”

Does this comment contain moisture?

Just in case.

Old man Wu also hopes that they can provide more solid and powerful evidence that can explain Gu Weijing's contribution and ability.

It would be more convincing if I could ask Professor Lin Tao to write a handwritten letter of recommendation and submit it.

The words of Mr. Cao's second disciple are more effective than Mr. Wu's words.

"Professor Lin Tao agreed to the letter of recommendation. It will be handwritten and will be sent by airmail in two days, but... I think that maybe this thing is more useful than a letter of recommendation."

"More useful? The pictures you drew are meaningless. Bah~"

Gu Tongxiang thought that his grandson naively thought that painting an excellent work would be convincing if he submitted it.

Spit the chrysanthemum root on the cup lid on one side.

He said angrily: "You still don't understand these bureaucracies. Nonsense is a basic skill. The Yangon Painting and Calligraphy Association is different from the Marsh Gallery. It doesn't care about the quality of your paintings. Even if Leonardo da Vinci submits one If you post your paintings, people may want to punish you, or they may say that the paintings are rubbish and are not up to the level of membership.”

He casually wanted to get the scroll, but Gu Weijing didn't let go.

"Why, what a big treasure, I don't want to show it to your grandpa." Gu Tongxiang blew his beard.

"No, I was thinking, grandpa, your blood pressure is not well controlled, why don't you prepare some antihypertensive medicine first?" Gu Weijing let go of his hand and suggested hesitantly.

Mr. Cao's handwritten calligraphy is no joke.

Gu Weijing never spoke because he was really worried. His grandfather was just like Fan Jin who passed the test happily.

"Huh? This scroll."

No need for Gu Weijing to remind him, when Gu Tongxiang took over, he was stunned for a moment.

A small calligraphy and painting shop like theirs will definitely not hire people to maintain and take care of the collection in the shop like a gallery.

The labor cost alone is unaffordable for the family.

Creating, collecting paintings, contacting painters, maintaining customers, doing laundry and sweeping the floors... From the painter to the agent to the sweeping lady, all the work is done by the shop owner, so he must be an expert in all aspects. Gu Tongxiang just touched the scroll in his hand. From the touch of his skin, he immediately realized that this framing was probably not the craftsmanship of their calligraphy and painting shop.

All the works in their store are mounted using industrial adhesives and hot melt glue, placed in a special machine, and heated and flattened.

The material used for framing is also called damask or brocade, but this is actually an unspoken rule used by framing shops to fool customers. In most small framing shops in Yangon, the so-called damask, silk and brocade actually refer to "Han brocade". This kind of imported chemical nylon material has nothing to do with silk and satin in the traditional sense.

And this scroll.

Gu Tongxiang knew from the first touch that this was fine silk, and the wooden poles exposed on both sides were not wooden handles with nails nailed on two layers of paper cores.

The shaft head is sunken and the wood is deep.

It looks like it should be a detachable shaft with an inner core of small leaf sandalwood and a traditional mortise and tenon structure that is directly hand-fitted.

Just this job.

It would be unreasonable to switch to his shop without charging 500,000 kyats for materials.

Say.

Even if a customer paid for it, Gu Tongxiang didn't have the confidence to pretend.

He used to frame things by hand, and he was even pretty good at it.

When they were young, the elders painted, and women and children had to learn how to frame them, and they would also work outside to support the family. He framed three of them and his mother bought him a popsicle to eat.

But now Gu Tongxiang has long stopped mounting by hand.

Since ancient times in Eastern Xia, there has been a saying of three-part painting and seven-part mounting.

Although the effect of hand-mounting is better, it is a technical job that tests your eyesight and technique. Sometimes the painting needs to be cut at an angle, pulled crookedly, or the composition has been changed to leave blank space. The customer is not satisfied and is clamoring to lose money.

If you are not careful, the result may not be as good as the paper framed by machine.

Their family and Mr. Wu jointly bought a set of mounting machines.

I use it a lot here, so I paid 70% of the money and put it in my shop. If my neighbors need to frame large characters or something, they come over and use it.

Both families prepare their own materials and supplies.

"This craft?"

Silk base, dark solid wood shaft, silk head and yellow silk in front of the roll to keep water out, the belly and back paper need to be covered with two layers of handmade paper...

If Gu Tongxiang guessed correctly, this is not an ordinary one-color outfit or two-color outfit, but a very particular technique of Xuanhe outfit. Because it was pioneered by Zhao Ji, Emperor Huizong of the Song Dynasty, it is also called Song fashion.

"It's very particular."

Gu Tongxiang secretly praised.

He didn't want to show his shallow eyes in front of his grandson, so he still managed to keep his composure.

"Oh, in your mind, your grandpa and I only have this kind of determination? That's superficial. I came from the last century, okay? I've never seen such big storms. Do you think you can buy a painting by Sakai from the calligraphy and painting auction? The work that the master likes is awesome? Well, it is quite awesome. This is worthy of praise. But once or twice can only be counted as luck, and your good vision is hereditary. That is to say, I used to rush to exchange for food. Eat, your dad also needs to go to college. Otherwise, I would have exchanged small yellow croakers for the paintings and calligraphy that I picked up. Now I heard that there are some expensive ones that can be sold for as little as a hundred thousand dollars."

More useful than Lin Tao’s recommendation letter?

Gu Tongxiang felt that he should have guessed pretty well.

His heartbeat quickened and blood rushed to his face. He still untied the scroll with a steady hand, warning himself in his mind.

Don't panic.

Hold on, hold on, haven't you ever eaten pork and seen pigs running away? I haven't handled paintings and calligraphy by famous artists. I have always seen them with my own eyes in art galleries. I must not lose my place in front of juniors.

"This is not my work."

"Hey, I know. It's such a blessing. I have to thank the teacher more. You know how sweet your mouth is. Isn't it just——"

"It's not Professor Lin's work either." Gu Weijing added in a low voice.

"——Ahem, huh?"

Gu Tongxiang's arm trembled, like a movie shot played at 0.5 times speed.

The old man's movement of unfolding the painting slowly stopped, and the unfinished words in his mouth were stuck in his throat, turning into two moans.

He slowly lowered his head to look at the scroll in his hand, and then slowly turned his neck to look at his grandson.

Gu Weijing met his grandfather's eyes and nodded gently but firmly twice.

Mr. Gu took a sharp breath.

Well, your grandfather admits that he has never seen the world.

Gu Tongxiang rewrapped the scroll and stuffed it back into Gu Weijing's arms. He turned around and looked at his study. He stared at the half cup of chrysanthemum tea on the desk and felt uneasy. He closed the lid and placed it on the windowsill.

After thinking about it, I closed the screen again, locked the windows tightly, and finally drew all the curtains.

It's not that Gu Tongxiang is cautious.

What if there happens to be a little sparrow outside that rushes in and poops? What if there are aliens who are interested in wealth and drive a UFO to snatch his big treasure? ! !

Just thinking about it makes me feel uneasy.

Gu Tongxiang even wanted to drive Awang away, but after seeing Awang baring his teeth at him, he didn't dare to reach out and grab him.

"You hold the painting here and don't move. I'll go downstairs and take antihypertensive medicine and come back."

Gu Tongxiang turned around and went out.

When he came back, he had a small bottle of Su-acting Jiuxin Pills in his hand, which he placed beside him.

"Open it."

The old man was looking forward to it happily, and he stopped doing it himself. He rubbed his hands excitedly and ordered Gu Weijing.

Gu Weijing slowly unfolded the scroll.

"The luminous pearls do not need to come from the Mengjin River, good! The jade in your hand does not need to be collected from the Kunlun Mountains, good! Thousands of rocks compete for beauty, and thousands of valleys contend with the flow, but they must stand out. Good, good, good, good, good... …”

Gu Tongxiang's eyes almost shot out two real gleams. He sat back on the chair, his upper and lower lips trembled, and he couldn't stop saying hello.

Especially when I saw the name on the balance of the scroll and the seal with the word "Cao Xuan".

The old man's eyes were red.

He is about the same age as Lin Tao, but a few years older, so he is basically the same generation.

Everyone of his generation has grown up hearing the legend of Cao Xuan. Meeting Mr. Cao is like meeting an idol star.

When he was painting when he was young, he also imagined joining a master and rising to prominence step by step.

Who has never dreamed of being recognized and praised by Mr. Cao?

In the field of art, being recognized by Cao Xuan is no different from the legendary story of a fairy touching my head, tying my hair, and receiving immortality. However, what I was granted was not immortality, but a bright golden road with boundless future.

This scene in the dream really happened.

The protagonist is his grandson.

噫！

My grandson is going to be great!

(End of this chapter)