All-rounder Artist-Chapter 822 719: A Butterfly’s Love for a Flower in Chinese Painting

The courtyard is deep, how deep it is...

Wu Ji felt the disparity as soon as he read the first line of Xian Yu's "A Butterfly's Love for a Flower".

And on Earth,

Some say this poem was Ouyang Xiu's work, others claim it was written by Feng Yansi. It's quite normal for there to be disputes over the origins of ancient works.

Miss Li Qingzhao believed it was a work of Ouyang Xiu.

She held this poem in high esteem and even quoted it in her own work;

Wang Guowei also liked this poem, though he tended to think it was Feng Yansi's work.

There might be controversy over who the author was, but there was none about the quality of the poem itself.

After reading the entire poem, Wu Ji sighed lightly.

He knew that when contemporary literati created "A Butterfly's Love for a Flower", he was no longer in the top three.

"This Xian Yu, his literary talent is certainly extraordinary."

This was not the first time Xian Yu had created a work of poetry.

He didn't produce many works, but almost every one he did was a classic.

No wonder there was an adage within and outside the industry, "Xian Yu in the south, Chu Kuang in the north," that had taken such deep root in people's hearts.

At the same time Wu Ji saw this work,

Netizens also noticed Xian Yu's version of "A Butterfly's Love for a Flower".

The internet was abuzz, and the comments section exploded with activity!

Everyone was conquered by this poem!

"Fish Papa's poetry rocks!"

"This version is absolutely stunning!"

"'Xian Yu in the south, Chu Kuang in the north' isn't just a saying!"

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"What a masterstroke!"

"Taken on their own, these lines may not be as shocking as those by Chu Kuang and Yi An, but read the poem in its entirety, and it flows beautifully, inviting continuous reflection, with every word carefully chosen, bursting with boundless inspiration!"

"This one will definitely make the top three!"

"Before, I thought only Teacher Wu Ji's version could stand side by side with the other two, but now that I see Xian Yu's, I realize that Teacher Wu Ji's work is slightly less superior."

"Teacher Wu Ji is good, just that Xian Yu is better."

"Fish Papa's the guy who wrote 'Song of Water', how could his work be anything less than impressive?"

"They say the Three Bros rise and fall together, let's have Teacher Shadow write one too!"

"Shadow: Scram!"

"Hahahaha, it would work if Shadow God does one, cartoonists are in agony!"

"The top contenders for 'A Butterfly's Love for a Flower' have been decided, it can only be Chu Kuang, Yi An, and Xian Yu!"

"..."

Xian Yu's poem received high praise!

Even industry insiders were expressing their approval!

This craze for "A Butterfly's Love for a Flower" was ignited by Yi An, fueled to a climax by Chu Kuang, and was now culminating with Xian Yu!

However, netizens' calls for Teacher Shadow did prompt laughter.

It was unfair to put Shadow on the spot like that, wasn't it?

After all, Shadow was a comic artist!

Not like Chu Kuang and Xian Yu, who could effortlessly craft poetry as if it were second nature.

Well, alright.

It was mainly because the Three Bros had captured the hearts of the people so deeply.

Seeing that Xian Yu and Chu Kuang both wrote "A Butterfly's Love for a Flower", netizens instinctively thought of Shadow.

But Shadow was different from the other two.

Lin Yuan had plenty of stunning "A Butterfly's Love for a Flower" poems to use for Shadow, but he didn't feel it necessary.

This concerned the strategic positioning of his three personas.

Chu Kuang's persona was a writer; having a talent for poetry wasn't inconsistent;

Xian Yu, as a musician and a screenwriter, dealt with lyrics and scripts, where a poetic talent was understandable.

Shadow was all about painting.

Though comic works involved scripts and text, the focus lay in the art itself.

Having Shadow write a "A Butterfly's Love for a Flower" posed a risk; it could lead to speculation among netizens. Therefore, Lin Yuan restrained himself from letting Shadow join in on the spur of the moment—

Indeed.

Lin Yuan did feel tempted in this regard.

As netizens said, with Chu Kuang and Xian Yu having participated, how could Shadow not join in?

Hold back!

There will be other chances in the future.

Keep a few "A Butterfly's Love for a Flower" poems in reserve; they might come in handy someday.

Lin Yuan thought to himself.

Speaking of which,

Who said Shadow must be left out?

Let's not forget that "A Butterfly's Love for a Flower" isn't just a lyric genre; it could also be a painting!

Butterflies, flowers.

These are common themes in traditional Chinese painting!

Why not paint "A Butterfly's Love for a Flower" using the identity of Shadow directly?

Just do it!

Lin Yuan immediately went to his studio and began his painting, the theme being "A Butterfly's Love for a Flower"!

The reason for doing so was not merely so that his three personas could advance or retreat together; more importantly, Lin Yuan wanted to change some of the fixed perceptions netizens had of Shadow...

Shadow was a painter!

Not merely a comic artist!

While related, the significance represented by the former was starkly different from the latter.

Lin Yuan was not content to let Shadow be just a comic artist!

Wouldn't that be wasting Shadow's Master Level painting skills?

Especially since Shadow had reached the summit of the comic world, advancing further was truly difficult.

In such a situation, it was even more necessary for Lin Yuan to diversify the fields in which Shadow's avatar engaged. Otherwise, Shadow would eventually fall behind, becoming the invisible presence sandwiched between Chu Kuang and Xian Yu!

After all, a comic is just a comic and cannot become an "art" recognized by everyone.

But painting itself is undeniably art!

But now the situation is...

Although Shadow has illustrated for Chu Kuang's novels, everyone's impression of Shadow as a comic artist is too profound!

Almost no one pays attention to Shadow's identity as a painter!

This requires Lin Yuan to consciously guide the public to truly notice Shadow's painting talents beyond comics, thus shaking off everyone's entrenched perception of him as merely a comic artist.

In the north, there's Xian Yu, in the south, Chu Kuang, and Shadow is in the center.

Shadow's desire to achieve renown on par with Chu Kuang and Xian Yu still needs to be backed by more substantial merit.

...

Inside the studio.

Lin Yuan painted with a free hand.

He painted earnestly, his gaze intensely focused, showcasing his master-level painting skill without reservation.

As Lin Yuan painted,

to the side,

Jin Mu had, at some point, drawn nearer without notice.

Jin Mu didn't disturb Lin Yuan, merely fixating on the painting under his brush with glints of amazement in his eyes.

He didn't possess professional appraisal skills, but he thought the painting was incredibly beautiful!

The flowers in the painting were indescribably lovely!

And the butterfly swirling around the flower seemed to come alive, fluttering its wings silently close to the petals.

Though plainly a still image, Jin Mu could feel a dynamic beauty to it!

"A Butterfly's Love for a Flower..."

Seeing the content of the painting, Jin Mu had a rough idea of Lin Yuan's intent.

After an unknown amount of time,

Lin Yuan finally finished the painting.

He blew gently on his work and felt relatively satisfied, although by Lin Yuan's master-level standards, some aspects of the painting still lacked a certain essence.

"May I take a photo?"

Jin Mu, seeing Lin Yuan had finished, couldn't help but ask.

"Of course."

Lin Yuan had no objections; paintings were meant to be appreciated, after all.

Click.

Jin Mu captured the painting with his camera, but upon careful comparison with the original, he couldn't help shaking his head, "The effect from the photo still doesn't match the experience of viewing the original piece."

"If you like the original, I'll give it to you," Lin Yuan said with a smile, knowing full well that the effect captured by the camera could never compare to the original.

"For me?"

Jin Mu was delighted, "Then I'll have to frame it when I get back. It will be perfect for showing off. Don't forget to sign it. 'Shadow' will do!"

"Alright."

Lin Yuan wrote the date and the word "Shadow" in the specific handwriting and font that he had designated for Shadow.

Lin Yuan was very careful.

The handwriting of Chu Kuang, Xian Yu, and Shadow was distinct, purposefully differentiated to prevent any chance of linking his pseudonyms through penmanship.

"Are you planning to upload this photo online?"

Jin Mu didn't hurry to take the painting away but regarded it thoughtfully instead.

Lin Yuan nodded.

Jin Mu shook his head, "I don't mind you doing that, but as you've seen, the effect captured by a smartphone doesn't do it justice compared to the original piece. How about I arrange an art exhibition instead?"

"An art exhibition?"

"Isn't your ultimate goal to formally introduce Shadow into the realm of painting?"

"Yes."

"Then let's organize an art exhibition. More discerning eyes gather there. Placing it directly online lacks gravitas. Even if it's eventually put online, it shouldn't be snapped with a phone camera but should use higher-level technology to recreate as much of the painting's essence as possible."

"You handle it."

Lin Yuan found Jin Mu's words quite reasonable, "I'm headed home."

Jin Mu nodded.

Handing the painting over to Jin Mu, Lin Yuan didn't concern himself much further with it. This painting wasn't one he was particularly proud of; it was just a test for dipping into the painting world. If he truly wanted to improve it, he needed to delve deeper into capturing the essence of the eye, the flowers, and the butterfly, which wasn't a task to be completed in a day or two.

After Lin Yuan left,

Jin Mu thought for a moment and then made a call to Luo Wei.

Jin Mu knew of Luo Wei's in-depth research on traditional paintings, and it seemed her family had roots in that field as well, so she was likely more aware of any upcoming art exhibitions than anyone else.

Soon, the call went through.

Luo Wei, hearing the entire story from Jin Mu, couldn't help expressing excitement, "Are you saying the teacher is preparing to venture into traditional painting?"

"He used a brush and added color at the end, no doubt it's a traditional painting."

"I see!"

Luo Wei was inexplicably thrilled, something Jin Mu couldn't quite understand.

In truth, Luo Wei had been waiting for this day!

She knew ever since their competition in traditional painting when Lin Yuan had soundly defeated her, that her teacher's skill in traditional painting was definitely top-tier within the industry. Yet such a person remained unknown in the painting world, a hidden gem obscured by dust, causing her to lament the waste.

Her teacher, always so unassuming.

One with such fearsome painting talent had no aspirations for glory, instead storming the comic world with her, creating the number one name in comics.

Luo Wei liked comics as well.

However, she had always believed that the painting world was where the teacher truly belonged, and traditional painting was his most terrifying secret weapon. In both influence and artistic value, comics and traditional painting were incomparable!

To give the simplest example,

Twenty years after a comic's conclusion, it might only influence one generation; the next generation will have new comics to read. In a way, it's fast food, an entertainment product.

Art like traditional painting, however, is different.

If the quality is high enough, such art can become timeless classics with age. Their artistic significance and influence don't fade over time but might even grow more distinguished, enduring through the ages!

Now the teacher was finally entering the painting world!

Luo Wei believed that with her teacher's capability, he could rise meteorically in the painting industry, achieving success in traditional painting not unlike the achievements in comics!

"As for the art exhibition..."

"There are no top-tier art exhibitions this year, but there's no need to wait for one. In a while, there will be a mid-tier exhibition in Su City. Many from the painting industry will attend. Let's present Teacher Shadow's work there. With the teacher's skill and reputation, the organizers surely won't refuse!"

"Do you need me to step in?"

"There's no need. You probably know a bit about my family's situation; it can be considered a painter family with some modest influence in the field. For a mid-sized exhibition, it's completely manageable."

Luo Wei was already eager to proceed!