The paper dates back to the Ming Dynasty, and the painting is nearly finished.
Gao Jianfei understood immediately... The paper used for painting was indeed obtained from Qiu Ying using exorcism points. That's right, it was paper from the Ming Dynasty.
Chu Kai interjected, "It seems this is a forgery, or rather, a modern imitation. First, they used forgery techniques to make the paper look like it was from the same period as Qiu Ying's work, and then they painted on it. This painting was definitely done stroke by stroke with a brush. It wasn't a rubbing. What I find very strange, or rather, quite shocking, is... which master artist did this high-quality forgery actually come from?"
After speaking, Chu Kai stared intently at Gao Jianfei. "This is absolutely a high-quality reproduction that is indistinguishable from the original. Comparing its spirit, brushwork, technique, and artistic conception, it truly has absolutely no difference from the original!" He paused, then turned his gaze to Wu Keyou. "Teacher Wu, you've also copied Qiu Ying's original 'Red Cliff' painting. What do you think?"
Wu Ke stared intently at the painting, not moving an inch! It was as if he wanted to "stare" the painting to death!
Wu Ke murmured, "My skill level is far inferior to that of the master who forged this painting. The difference is simply too great. It's not even in the same league. Look at this ancient and desolate brushstroke, this immersive artistic conception... Reflecting on the past at Chibi, the landscape is so beautiful!"
The mayor of Huashi, the municipal party secretary, the deputy mayor, and the minister of the provincial cultural and propaganda department, all of whom were on the "chairman's" platform, came over to admire the painting. They were all full of praise as they looked at it.
"Although I don't know much about appreciating calligraphy and painting, the moment I saw this painting, I truly felt it was made by an ancient master!" Mayor Feng He of the Flower Market exclaimed sincerely. "So, Professor Wu, Expert Chu, what price do you think would be reasonable for this painting?"
Wu Keyou and Chu Kai exchanged glances. Finally, Chu Kai spoke up, "This level of imitation is beyond description; it's not just a fake. In 2007, an authentic copy of the Red Cliff painting sold for 79.52 million RMB at auction. So, using that price as a reference, this high-quality copy lacks some historical value, but 7 million RMB is definitely achievable."
Shocking!
All the professionals present were stunned!
Even the renowned Chinese painter Wu Keyou's works rarely exceed 2 million RMB. Yet this high-quality replica of the Red Cliff painting easily reaches 7 million RMB.
This means that a master painter with an artistic level far surpassing that of Wu Keyu has been born in country Z!
Now, everyone has the same question... Who made this high-quality replica?
Therefore, everyone's eyes were on Gao Jianfei.
“Young man, please tell me the author of this high-quality reproduction, and I, Wu Keyu, will personally pay him a visit! Even if it takes three visits to the thatched cottage, I will risk my life to see the master’s demeanor!” Wu Keyu said excitedly.
"Ah, Mr. Gao, may I ask, is this master from our Flower Market?" Secretary Meng, the Party Secretary of Flower Market, was filled with excitement. If this master, whose painting skills directly surpass those of Wu Keyu, a famous painter from China, is a hidden genius in Flower Market, then finding him would completely boost Flower Market's reputation in China's cultural circles!
Secretary Meng and Mayor Feng He of Huashi City exchanged a glance, and they could both clearly see the flames burning deep in each other's eyes.
"Talent! Our Flower Market needs this kind of talent! Young man, please tell us that the leader of our Flower Market's municipal party committee will personally pay a visit to the artist of this painting!" Feng Hezhen said solemnly.
The entire audience in the venue was stunned by this scene from the drama department! They had originally come simply to appreciate the works of Professor Ma Junsheng and to see the style of those famous painters from China. Unexpectedly, a master painter suddenly appeared out of nowhere! A super master whose skill far surpassed that of Wu Keyu, the top painter in China!
Seeing the intensely enthusiastic gazes of the crowd, Gao Jianfei knew... his moment of fame had arrived!
Gao Jianfei smiled calmly, then said, word by word, "To be honest, this painting really is mine!"
"Well?"
All the expert judges fell silent instantly. They all stared at the young, handsome, and sunny boy before them.
Heavens have mercy! Gao Jianfei is only 22 years old! Extremely young! He is at least 10 years younger than any other young painter present today!
Who would believe that a work of such high quality, far surpassing Wu Keyou's, was created by such a young man?
This is something no one would believe! Painting does require talent, but even the most talented painter needs to accumulate life experience and cultural knowledge to develop their own style and create top-notch works.
Even among the painters of ancient times, very few became famous at a young age.
Gao Jianfei, that young man, what a load of rubbish! What a load of rubbish!
"Young man, don't joke like that!" Wu Keyu said with slight displeasure.
Ma Junsheng and Ge Chunhou are now looking disheveled!
Thanks to Gao Jianfei's actions, this high-quality replica has completely overshadowed and forgotten Ma Junsheng's previous landscape painting, which was a masterpiece.
Who among the crowd would still be interested in Ma Junsheng's paintings?
"Are you mocking the intelligence of everyone here?" Ma Junsheng finally couldn't help but sneer. "You think everyone in the world is a fool? Actually, you're the only fool! You think you could create such a masterpiece?"
Everyone looked at Gao Jianfei with suspicion, ridicule, contempt, and disgust.
They believe that Gao Jianfei was indeed showing off and insulting everyone's intelligence.
Gao Jianfei knew that if he didn't show off his skills on the spot, he would probably be kicked out!
Gao Jianfei pondered for a moment, then felt quite confident. "Well, I understand everyone's doubts. The only way to clarify that what I said wasn't a lie is to paint a picture on the spot, and then let the judges appreciate and evaluate it. Of course, it's impossible to paint a work of the scale of the Red Cliff painting on the spot; it would definitely take several days. So, I'll paint a simpler portrait!" After a pause, Gao Jianfei beckoned to Qin Leshi, "Leshi, please come here for a moment."
Seeing Gao Jianfei surrounded by a group of experts and leaders, engaged in heated debate, Qin Leshi was extremely worried and concerned for him. However, Gao Jianfei's composure and eloquent speech only intensified her infatuation with him. When Gao Jianfei asked her to come over, she seemed to be possessed and quickly walked to his side.
Gao Jianfei said, “This is my friend. So, I’ll improvise a simple portrait based on her. I think this kind of work doesn’t have the grandeur and complexity of a landscape painting, nor does it have a background pattern. It’s just about capturing my friend’s figure, appearance, and spirit. It won’t take too long; I can finish it in an hour. Can everyone give me an hour? Of course, to make everyone believe that this Red Cliff painting is my work, I will naturally interpret my friend’s portrait in the style of Qiu Ying. When the time comes, everyone can compare my completed portrait with this Red Cliff painting, and the difference will be immediately apparent.”
After saying this, Wu Ke screamed. "What? You're going to use Qiu Ying's style to interpret a modern woman? This...this is simply unbelievable!"
Wu Keyou's words make a lot of sense.
For example… if someone imitates Jacky Cheung's singing, they will definitely sing Jacky Cheung's songs very well. However, if they were to use Jacky Cheung's voice to sing Jay Chou's songs or JJ Lin's songs, the style would still be Jacky Cheung's. Therefore, the difficulty of this kind of imitation is many times greater than the difficulty of interpreting Jacky Cheung's original works!
The scene became noisy again. Everyone present was an expert, and they were all shocked by Gao Jianfei's suggestion.
Gao Jianfei, however, remained remarkably calm… He wasn't imitating Qiu Ying's style at all. To put it boldly, his painting skills were essentially Qiu Ying's; therefore, whatever he painted, whatever portrait of a person, the result would always bear Qiu Ying's style!
"Good! Good! Good!" Wu Keyou said three times in a row, then said in a voice that sounded like a ghost, "Young man, you paint. I'll give you one hour, uh, no, I'll give you two hours. Take your time painting, don't be impatient. We want to see how you interpret a modern woman using Qiu Ying's style. If you really do it, then I, Wu Keyou, will become your apprentice! I'll pour you some tea!"
"Heh, Mr. Wu, you're joking." Gao Jianfei laughed heartily, then turned to Qin Leshi and said, "Leshi, how about I borrow you for an hour to be my model?"
Qin Leshi blushed slightly and softly hummed in agreement. She thought to herself, "An hour? Even if I were your model for life, what's wrong with that?"
Chapter 153 Gao Jianfei Becomes Famous!
Chapter 153 Gao Jianfei Becomes Famous!
Gao Jianfei is going to paint on the spot! And Qin Leshi is "lucky" enough to become Gao Jianfei's model.
All the painting tools have been delivered.
Gao Jianfei asked Qin Leshi to sit down in a chair. She maintained what she considered a beautiful smile.
All the judges, municipal and provincial leaders, and audience members held their breath and waited quietly. Of course, they didn't get too close to Gao Jianfei, so as not to affect his painting.
In fact, this situation seems rather strange! Putting aside the audience, the judging panel consists of renowned artists from the Chinese art world! Have they ever waited for an unknown young man to paint like this before? And the leaders of the municipal and provincial party committees have never experienced anything like this before!
But at this moment, everyone waited. And there was no whispering, no noisy discussion. The atmosphere was solemn. The reason was simple: the painting of the Red Cliff had stunned the judges and leaders. They were eager to find out… was Gao Jianfei a true genius painter, or a charlatan?
The moment Gao Jianfei grasped the paintbrush and began to paint, his entire demeanor changed!
Originally, Gao Jianfei gave everyone the impression of being a low-key, handsome young man with a sunny smile. But as a painter, Gao Jianfei's demeanor suddenly became calm and confident! His brushstrokes possessed a natural, flowing quality. And when he observed Qin Leshi, his eyes held a serious, unadulterated professionalism!
To put it simply, Gao Jianfei certainly has the air of an artist!
This is one of the reasons why the entire audience was quiet yet filled with anticipation.
Ge Chunhou and Ma Junsheng, master and apprentice, were both secretly puzzled and looked at each other, unsure of what Gao Jianfei was up to.
As for Qin Leshi, as Gao Jianfei's model, she faced him and gave him a gentle and graceful smile. Bathed in Gao Jianfei's professional aura, her heart pounded with uncontrollable joy. She intermittently felt a tingling, electric-like pleasure throughout her body!
In contrast, Gao Jianfei, once he entered a state of artistic focus, was truly single-minded. Although thousands of people in the basketball court were staring at him in astonishment, he was as if possessed by Qiu Ying, his spirit and energy completely locked onto the paintbrush in his hand and the paper. Every stroke, every line, was perfect, a masterpiece!
Gao Jianfei first sketched Qin Leshi's facial features and figure, and then used Qiu Ying's technique of portraying portraits to slowly refine and depict her.
Soon, Qin Leshi seemed to have stepped into Gao Jianfei's painting!
On the paper, Qin Leshi's image is precise, meticulous and elegant, with bright colors that are subtle and profound, and a light and elegant tone that incorporates the gentle and quiet nature of a woman from the Jiangnan water towns, as well as some fashionable elements of today's society.
Speaking of which, it was a very coincidental choice to use Qin Leshi as a model for the painting, and she was also a very suitable person!
It's important to understand that Qiu Ying's style ultimately belongs to the ancient style. Throughout his life, he painted countless portraits of court ladies, and ancient women were invariably gentle, dignified, reserved, and quiet. Coincidentally, Qin Leshi herself embodies this kind of personality! A typical well-behaved girl, a girl from a modest family, she had to be home by ten o'clock every night, possessing the conservative elegance of women from ancient times!
In this way, Gao Jianfei can easily capture Qin Leshi's personality and spirit when he paints!
50 minutes later...
Finally, the portrait painting is complete!
Gao Jianfei put his paintbrush aside, stretched, and loosened his limbs before admiring his work with satisfaction. While painting, Gao Jianfei seemed to have entered a meditative state, completely detached from external objects, and even oblivious to his own painting and the model, Qin Leshi. Now that the work was complete, Gao Jianfei emerged from this state and began to examine the painting.
The image features a striking resemblance to Qin Leshi. Her short hair is neat and tidy, her bright eyes hold a tender, affectionate light, and her lips curve into a gentle, sweet smile—a picture of refined elegance. Her smile is captivating, her every glance enchanting!
The painting seems alive. It's as if Qin Leshi, the character in the painting, might step out at any moment!
"Okay, you performed to your usual standard." Gao Jianfei felt a sense of relief, then snapped his fingers at Qin Leshi and said with a smile, "Alright, Leshi, you've been sitting there for half a day, you must be tired. Thank you for your hard work. I've finished drawing, come and take a look yourself."
Qin Leshi smiled happily, then stood up from her chair and jogged over. When her gaze fell upon the painting, she was instantly stunned!
Yes, deterrence!
This painting seems to be three-dimensional! Moreover, it's like a mirror! Qin Leshi seems to see another, living version of herself in the painting!
Qin Leshi had studied painting for several years and had seen many famous artists' paintings, but she could swear that Gao Jianfei's work was a masterpiece! A rare gem!
She herself came to life through the painting!
"Gradually...gradually flying..." Qin Leshi's eyes were filled with excitement, exhilaration, and immense admiration and worship!
Of course, the admiration refers to Gao Jianfei's painting skills. As for the excitement, it's because... a boy I like painted a portrait of me, which is actually quite romantic.
"Is it finished?" Wu Ke stood up abruptly, and together with Chu Kai, the calligraphy and painting appraisal expert from the Palace Museum, they walked towards Gao Jianfei. The other judges, although eager to see Gao Jianfei's work, could only wait anxiously due to etiquette, order, and manners.
On the other side, Mayor Feng He of Huashi City, Secretary Meng of the Municipal Party Committee, Xu Jianping, Minister of Culture and Publicity of G Province, and Long Ke, Chairman of the G Province Painters Association, all went to Gao Jianfei immediately.
Ge Chunhou and Ma Junsheng naturally went over to watch as well. They were filled with unease, as if they had a bad feeling.
Just like Qin Leshi's reaction, all the expert reviewers and leadership team members were stunned when they saw Gao Jianfei's work!
His eyes did not move at all!
They stood there, stunned, like clay or wooden sculptures!
This tense situation lasted for a full three minutes before being shattered by Wu Keyu's roar... "My God! It is indeed the style of Master Qiu Ying! The form is similar, the spirit is similar! A portrait, it's practically brought to life! The lines, the contours, the charm... My God! I, Wu Keyu, have spent my whole life studying Master Qiu Ying, but after decades of mediocrity, I have only achieved a resemblance in form. But now... a genius! To be able to encounter such a genius in my lifetime is truly... truly a life well-lived!"
The calligraphy and painting appraisal expert from the Palace Museum meticulously examined every line and every stroke of ink in Gao Jianfei's painting with a magnifying glass. As he admired it, he exclaimed, "Excellent! Exquisite! Absolutely brilliant!"
"Hmm! Mr. Gao, could you part with this painting for me?" The president of the G Province Painters Association said enthusiastically to Gao Jianfei, "Mr. Gao, I'm willing to pay 3 million RMB for this portrait! It's a symbol of the rise of a generation of genius painters in our country!"
The president of the painters' association, Long Ke, was a smart man. He offered 300 to buy the painting and put it in his collection. In the future, as Gao Jianfei's reputation rises, the value of this painting, as one of Gao Jianfei's early works, will definitely increase!
“Uh… Lao Long, I really love this painting, so don’t argue with me! I’ll offer 400!” The Minister of Culture and Publicity of G Province immediately raised the price, “On behalf of the Culture and Publicity Department of G Province, I offer 400 to purchase this work and preserve it in the G Province Museum!”
"No, no, no," the mayor of Huashi said, his face flushed. "As a renowned artist in our Huashi, Mr. Gao's works should naturally be donated to our Huashi Museum! Mr. Gao, you are now an outstanding artist in our Huashi, and I am willing to personally arrange for you to work in the Huashi Cultural Bureau! Judging from your accent, Mr. Gao must be from out of town, right? Our Huashi Municipal Party Committee values talents like Mr. Gao very much, and we will resolve Mr. Gao's household registration and housing issues as soon as possible!"
The crowd began arguing and fighting over Gao Jianfei's seemingly random painting. No one paid any attention to Ge Chunhou and Ma Junsheng, the two disillusioned men!
Sometimes, the world is just that realistic. One second you may be highly respected, but the next you will be quickly forgotten after being utterly defeated by the human body, just like an unclaimed package!
It turns out that the painting of Red Cliffs we just saw was indeed the work of Gao Jianfei!
This heralds the birth of a legendary figure in the Chinese art world!
He will dominate the art world of China for a long time!
Ge Chunhou and Ma Junsheng were practically speechless, utterly ashamed. All their previous provocations, arrogance, and mockery towards Gao Jianfei now felt like slaps to their faces. The crisp "slaps" echoed across their cheeks! They wished they could disappear into a hole in the ground! Their faces were as red as monkey bottoms! Of course, there was no hole to hide in, so they could only leave dejectedly.