The Versatile Master Artist-Chapter 41 - 28: Gu Weijing’s Equation

Earth-shattering!

Just now, when Cao Xuan criticized Gu Weijing, his tone was severe, yet afterward, his evaluation of Gu’s work was equally high.

Upon hearing the "young genius" praise, the crowd was filled with admiration, envy, and even more, a sense of awe.

Not for Gu Weijing, but for Elder Cao, for his magnanimity.

Artists are often prideful and stubborn; it’s not enough for your work to be good to be recognized. Especially when humbly seeking advice from a kid no older than your own grandchildren.

"Sir, there’s no need for that, it’s too much."

Assistant Old Yang couldn’t help but lean over, whispering in his ear, hinting that Gu Weijing didn’t deserve such comments from him.

This isn’t a personal grudge.

The painter’s position is the assistant’s position. If Elder Cao values Gu Weijing so highly, Old Yang must also value him highly.

Old Yang was actually filled with self-reproach at that moment.

He blamed himself for just now reprimanding the other party too harshly, worried if he might have offended this little Bodhisattva who appeared out of nowhere.

"You are so talented, such a young genius, please don’t hold a grudge against a runner like me?"

If he followed his true feelings, Old Yang would rush over, grab Gu Weijing’s hand, and become a warm, kind uncle.

Many people can’t keep their mouths shut.

As an assistant, professionalism requires him to stop his employer from saying inappropriate things in public.

"Better than this old bag of bones of mine." — This sentence, in Old Yang’s view, was very untimely.

Although Elder Cao seldom writes anymore, his works are still appreciating in value in the art market, auction prices continue to rise, yet collectors rarely sell their own pieces.

The main reasons, besides the great revival of the Huaxia nation and the constant rise of Chinese Painting’s status in Asia and the world, leading to increased global recognition of Eastern Art, and Chinese Painting becoming more and more valuable,

there’s also the reason of Elder Cao’s status as the leading living Eastern painter.

Collectors are waiting.

Now that Elder Cao is over ninety, they just wait for the day he passes away, for his nearly spotless career to be fully recognized, at which point the value of his paintings will soar again, getting special collections from top museums at home and abroad.

At least in France, entering the Louvre shouldn’t be a big issue.

Historically, only a few have had the utmost honor and fortune to see their works collected by the Louvre while alive. Picasso, Martial, Surali... these people were once regarded as the greatest living painters, the elite of their era.

The old man’s entire body of work standing firm at ten million US dollars on the market is certain, twenty to thirty million is not a dream, and some exquisite masterpieces may even probe new heights for contemporary East Asian painters.

If a painter’s life were only defined by which museum they entered or how much they sold, listing them first, second, third, fourth, fifth, and sixth seems rather dull.

But who says Old Yang isn’t just a vulgar person?

He cares about this.

He worries!

"Better than this old bag of bones of mine."

Teacher Yang thought, this sentence is very easily used by others to make a fuss.

"Shocking! Chinese Painting master isn’t as good as a child," "Nonagenarian master admits his skills are not as good as others," "Famous but not real, artist Mr. Cao Xuan makes major mistakes in his painting."

Many art tabloids are like a bunch of scavenging vultures, perhaps more subtle, attacking harshly as cultured individuals, but essentially, some non-professional writers are no different from sensationalists.

Including controversies related to Picasso or tabloid news, various titles once flew all over the Seine Riverfront.

Gu Weijing is simply too young, not yet a professional painter in the art market; people who know understand this is the elder’s encouragement to the young.

If not, just this sentence could cause significant market fluctuations in Elder Cao’s artwork prices.

Moreover, if Gu Weijing fails to achieve anything, becomes a mediocrity as he grows up, with questionable character, he might just use this sentence to exploit the elder’s legacy, climbing up by sucking the marrow from the bones.

This isn’t unheard of.

Old Yang looked at Gu Weijing on the other side, his eyes turning slightly red with envy.

Does this kid know how lucky he is?

Do you know how many famous painters would be filled with ecstatic joy, unable to sleep upon hearing such an evaluation?

...

At this moment, the young Gu Weijing still doesn’t understand the weight of this sentence; he is still amazed by the elder’s praise for him.

To put it bluntly, no matter the reason, he was also at fault.

The objective fact is —

He indeed altered Elder Cao’s mural without permission.

If you remove the warm scene of mutual accomplishment between predecessor and successor, no matter if your painting is better than the original, what kind of action is this?

In the cross-talk world, this is called challenging the craft.

In martial arts, this is called challenging the dojo.

In the field of philosophy, this is called criticizing the big shots.

Coming back to his senses, Gu Weijing realized that if Elder Cao’s generosity were slightly narrower, this matter would have taken a completely different direction.

"Do you want to become famous? Why, you have talent, Lin Tao wants to take you as a disciple and you’re still not satisfied, greedy and impatient to step on me to make a name for yourself?"

Elder Cao’s questioning just now actually spoke the minds of many present.

Who says you have talent, and others will appreciate you?

"Offending big shots, insulting seniors" has always been a sure-fire way to become famous, as well as the most taboo path to destruction in the circle.

But this is just like the martial arts circles of old Jinmen, where facing peers in sparring can be joyful, making friends through martial arts.

If it turns into a turf war, snatching rice bowls, it has always been enemies meeting, fighting to the death regardless.

Precisely because such things are taboo.

Unless there is no way out, holding a grudge of life or death with those old artists, it’s best not to do this even if you have talent.

Finally understanding the nuance, Gu Weijing felt a bit moved in his heart, he understood Elder Cao’s protection of him.

It’s easy to present oneself as a revered senior, but how many can truly achieve this?

He bowed to Elder Cao.

"Sorry, thank you."

Gu Weijing sincerely thanked.

"Why, what’s there to thank for? Did you originally think that my saying ’lying in the soil letting young people step on my body to climb up’ was just posturing?" The little old man seemed somewhat displeased now, glaring as he joked, "Does it mean if you paint well, I can’t praise you?"

"Similarly, you indeed made a mistake, and after making a mistake, you have to face it and think it over."

Cao Xuan changed the topic again, bringing up old matters.

Not only should a person draw nourishment from the good side, but also grow from making mistakes. Helping young people means not only giving them opportunities but also allowing them to become better and different from before.

"Painting well, praised already, yet the problem must still be faced, each matter should be treated as a separate one. Don’t you think?"

Cao Xuan queried Gu Weijing.

Young people are always like complex puzzles, equations with multiple solutions, where solutions don’t exist simultaneously in a mathematical sense but overlap and intertwine.

Refreshing all the time.

Evolving all the time.

With time’s change, answers change, equations change, all results change, ultimately collapsing into a single definite answer.

That fills the final blank spot.

This is life itself.

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"All things under heaven arise from simplicity, truly incomprehensible."

—— Ming·Tang Xianzu "The Peony Pavilion"

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When a person obtains the correct answer from the process of making mistakes, if they don’t recognize this point, the meaning of the obtained answer seems illusory.

Therefore, today, no matter how well Gu Weijing painted, he had to point out the other’s mistakes.

If one day, he truly understands life’s meaning, backtracking from the answer may yet solve the correct life.

Perhaps... This is the significance of mistakes made by children?

The old man did not have any intention of discussing with Gu Weijing: "To teach you a lesson, in the following days, when I am painting, come over to mix colors and grind ink, lend a hand."

Gu Weijing opened his mouth wide.

Buzz～

A stir arose among the crowd.

Tanaka Masakazu was almost in tears from anger.

This old guy has a problem with his head, he tampered with your painting! Anger, where has your anger gone? Yakai Ichiro, that fat guy even slapped his son heavily.

This is simply passing on craftsmanship!

Is this attitude of separating issues? Shouldn’t you also slap him once to separate issues?

Unfair!

There’s conspiracy!

I protest!

He clenched his mouth, swallowing his rage.

"Teacher, you’re too biased. Even when I was learning to paint, most of the time you let my senior teach me, or should I swap with this young man?"

Lin Tao was bitterly smiling, as most of them, the senior disciples, were taught by the eldest brother. Elder Cao was very busy back then, and even Lin Tao himself didn’t get one-on-one lessons often.

This Gu Weijing is truly fortunate.