The man's laughter came from inside the house; although it wasn't loud, it was very clear.
"Teacher, I'm kowtowing to you to wish you a Happy New Year..."
In the antique and calligraphy and painting trades, which have a long history, the rules that people in the trade generally follow are those passed down from ancient times. For example, Uncle Benshan from Northeast China once caused a great controversy in society because of his apprentice kowtowing. But this is a tradition. In the eyes of the older generation, heaven, earth, ruler, parents, and teacher are the foundation of society, and kowtowing to one's master is a matter of course!
As soon as Fatty Jin entered the room, he didn't care whether the floor was dirty or whether the old man could see it. He casually put down what he was carrying, knelt down, and kowtowed three times in a row. Zhuang Rui heard it all clearly.
"Alright, you little fatty, come here and let the teacher see what gift you brought..."
Zhuang Rui had been startled by Jin Pangzi's actions and hadn't had time to look at the master. Now, following the sound, he saw the master sitting in a wheelchair in front of a square table, holding a magnifying glass, seemingly reading a book. He had been disturbed by the two of them.
The master had a delicate and pretty face, which at first glance resembled that of a woman. However, he had many age spots on his face, and his hair was very sparse but neatly combed. At this moment, he had a childlike smile on his face, making him look like a kind elder.
Jin Pangzi is over forty years old, but in his husband's eyes, he is still a little fat man. If his husband had children, his grandchildren would probably be older than Jin Pangzi.
"Teacher, I brought you a panda toy. It's fluffy, feel it..."
Fatty Jin picked up his toy and placed it on his teacher's lap, which drew a burst of laughter and scolding from the teacher: "You little fatty, I already said that story was fake, why did you still give me this? Teachers aren't national treasures, they're just schoolteacher..."
The old man's words filled Zhuang Rui, who was standing beside him, with awe. He could tell that the old man was speaking from the bottom of his heart, without any pretense.
The gentleman's humble and peaceful demeanor instantly calmed Zhuang Rui's somewhat agitated mood, which had been aroused by the busyness of the New Year. Perhaps this is the charm of a person's character.
"Are there still guests? Please, have a seat..."
The old man's eyesight was very poor. Without a magnifying glass, he could only vaguely see two figures sitting in a wheelchair, waving to Zhuang Rui to sit down.
"Sir, I am a collector. I admire your knowledge and character, and I have come here specifically to wish you a Happy New Year..."
Zhuang Rui first stood in front of the old man and bowed three times respectfully before sitting down on the sofa. However, as soon as he sat down, he felt as if he were sitting in a pile of books, because the sofa was covered with all kinds of books.
Only then did Zhuang Rui have time to look around the room. It turned out that in this small room, apart from the bed, bookshelves, desk, sofa, and coffee table, the rest of the space was filled with books.
The man waved his hands repeatedly, saying, "I don't deserve it, I don't deserve it. I'm only a few years old, I can't accept your words. My hearing and eyesight aren't very good, young man, please speak louder..."
The old man smiled and continued, "Last year, a few people came to my house and asked me to serve as an honorary director of the China Disabled Persons' Welfare Foundation. I thought it was perfect, since I'm blind and hard of hearing now, practically disabled. I said I was determined to join the Federation..."
The man's words made Zhuang Rui and Fatty Jin laugh. His open-minded, cheerful, and humorous personality was very infectious to those around him.
"Sir, you're in very good health. You can definitely hear me..."
As Zhuang Rui spoke, he silently released a few wisps of spiritual energy, which seeped into the old man's ears and eyes.
During his time in Beijing, Zhuang Rui conducted experiments on his grandfather and Grandpa Song. He discovered that elderly people, perhaps due to severe decline in bodily functions, become very sluggish in their response to spiritual energy. Even if they are not asleep, they will not detect the input of a small amount of spiritual energy.
"Hey, I can really hear it. People are in high spirits when they have good news. Little Fatty, check if the door is closed properly. I feel a bit of a chill in the air."
Because the old man was so old, and Zhuang Rui had used a bit too much spiritual energy, the old man felt a slight coolness on his face, which was especially noticeable in the heated house.
"Teacher, the doors and windows are all closed properly..."
Upon hearing this, Fatty Jin became nervous and quickly checked on the old man. Winter was the hardest time for the old man; even a minor cold could lead to extremely serious consequences.
"Hmm, my eyes are a little sore. I guess I read for too long just now. Sigh, actually, even with my half-blind eyes, I couldn't see many big words clearly..."
The old man took out a handkerchief, wiped his eyes, and said to Zhuang Rui, "Young man, is that a painting you're holding? Who painted it?"
Zhuang Rui replied respectfully, "Sir, this is a painting called 'Imperial Concubine's Garden Stroll' by Giuseppe Castiglione, the court painter of Emperor Qianlong of the Qing Dynasty. I brought it here specifically for you to appreciate..."
"Lang Shining? There aren't many forgeries of his paintings, but there aren't many genuine ones either. It's a pity my eyesight isn't good enough to see them clearly..."
The old man shook his head slightly. That was just how he was. He wouldn't speak carelessly about things he couldn't see or understand. As a leading figure in the domestic calligraphy and collecting world, not only was his word worth a thousand pieces of gold, but his words were also worth a thousand pieces of gold.
"Wait a minute, teacher, how did you know that Xiao Zhuang brought a painting?"
Jin Pangzi suddenly raised a question. He knew that the teacher's eyes could only distinguish a person's silhouette at most, so how did he see what Zhuang Rui was holding?
Chapter 545 Rectification
"I saw the little guy holding a drawing..."
The old man didn't think much of it and answered the student's question casually. However, after he said it, he was slightly stunned. For more than two years, he had been unable to see certain objects clearly.
"Teacher, can you really see?"
Upon hearing this, Fatty Jin was both surprised and delighted. If the teacher could regain his sight, it would be a great thing for the country, because he had many tasks that he couldn't do because of his inability to see.
"If you can see it, you can see it. What's so strange about that? I also suddenly couldn't see clearly back then. Now that I can see clearly, it's just that God is telling me to do more work..."
Throughout his life, the old man was remarkably magnanimous. Nearly a century of ups and downs, as well as the unique changes in his family, enabled him to remain unperturbed by honor or disgrace.
Even now that some of his vision has been restored, it hasn't elicited any particular reaction from the elderly man. He simply expresses genuine joy at being able to work again.
The human body is the most complex subject in the world. In Chinese history, there have been instances of people in their 90s having their hair turn black and their teeth growing back. For the elderly, if they can't figure something out, they shouldn't think about it. They might as well use that time to do something else that they should be doing.
To be honest, the master's calm attitude completely calmed Zhuang Rui, who was initially a little uneasy because he was afraid that the old man might discover something. Although the idiom "calm and composed" is often used to describe someone, this was the first time Zhuang Rui had ever witnessed it firsthand.
"Teacher, you and Xiao Zhuang can chat for a while, I need to go to the restroom..."
Fatty Jin wasn't as open-minded as the old man. After saying hello, he went downstairs to discuss with the old man's nephew whether the master should go to the hospital for a check-up, fearing that it might be a final burst of energy before his master reached the end of his life.
The master beckoned to Zhuang Rui and casually said, "Come here, young man, bring your painting over. Where did you get this painting from?"
Besides teaching, the old man's greatest hobby in his life was appreciating antiques. Unfortunately, due to his eye disease, he has rarely helped people appraise antiques in recent years. As for writing, it does not affect him, because for the old man, writing has become a habit, and he can still write even if he cannot see.
The old man's eyesight was exceptionally clear today, and since he hadn't appraised antiques for several years, he was quite eager to try something new. So, before Zhuang Rui could even speak, he opened his mouth and asked a question.
However, the old man asked this question out of politeness, because deep down he didn't really believe that the painting Zhuang Rui brought, supposedly by Giuseppe Castiglione, was an authentic work by Castiglione.
Although Giuseppe Castiglione painted many court paintings, the paper used for oil paintings is different from ordinary Xuan paper. Most oil paintings were painted on Korean paper, which is thickened by multiple layers of adhesive. In old Beijing, it was often used to cover windows. The texture is relatively rough, and oil paintings painted on it are not easy to preserve.
The number of Qing Dynasty court oil paintings that have survived is extremely small. There are only about twelve or thirteen oil paintings that can be identified as genuine works by Giuseppe Castiglione (Lang Shining), most of which are collected in museums in Beijing and France, as well as in a few private hands.
The master once authenticated several oil paintings signed by Giuseppe Castiglione, also known as "Old Lion and Young Lion," in the Palace Museum in Beijing. However, they can no longer be fully opened; they would break apart if opened, and there is currently no good way to repair them.
If even the scrolls preserved in the Palace Museum are in such a state, those that have been passed down to the public are even more difficult to preserve. This is one of the reasons why the old gentleman does not believe that Zhuang Rui's scroll by Lang Shining is genuine. Of course, given the old man's refinement, he would still examine the object before making a comment.
"Sir, I acquired this painting from a foreigner in Hong Kong. It is said that his ancestors, who were Austrians, visited China in the early 20th century..."
Considering the old man's background—a genuine member of the former Qing dynasty imperial family—Zhuang Rui put it more tactfully, not daring to mention that the shipping magnate's ancestor had once been an officer in the Eight-Nation Alliance.
"Oh? Then we need to take a closer look. At that time, most of Giuseppe Castiglione's paintings ended up in France and Austria. Not only his paintings, but also portraits of emperors and concubines by other painters were mostly in these two countries..."
The old man was somewhat moved after hearing Zhuang Rui's words. When he was the chairman of the National Cultural Relics Appraisal Committee, he had written several books on cultural relics and had conducted in-depth research on the whereabouts of some precious cultural relics lost by the country. He also had a deep understanding of that period of history.
Before the Qing Dynasty collapsed in the last century, the Shouhuang Hall, one of the palaces in Beijing where ancestors were worshipped, was the headquarters of the French Expeditionary Force. Other royal palaces were the garrisons of Austrian or German troops. As a result, many precious imperial seals and portraits of emperors ended up in these countries.
To give a simple example, the German military headquarters was stationed in the Ziguang Pavilion in Zhongnanhai, which was where the portraits of meritorious officials were stored during the Qianlong reign. Therefore, it is no coincidence that the first appearance of the "Portraits of Meritorious Officials of Ziguang Pavilion" on the international ranking market was in Germany.
The reason why many of the imperial portraits in the Qing Palace came from the French Frey family is that Frey was the highest-ranking French general during the Eight-Nation Alliance invasion of Beijing in 1900.
The appraisal of antiques requires consideration not only of their stylistic features and artistic expression, but also of their provenance and other factors. It is a very complex discipline. Therefore, after hearing Zhuang Rui explain the origin of the painting, the old man immediately thought of the treasures that had been lost from China in the past.
"Come on, young man, unfold the painting a little more slowly, I need to take a look first..."
The old man, holding onto the wheelchair handles, almost tried to stand up, but failed. This was the first time he had shown any sign of anxiety since Zhuang Rui entered the room, but it could be understood as a testament to the old man's dedication to art.
"Sir, please don't worry, you can keep this painting and look at it at your leisure..."
Zhuang Rui smiled and first pushed the old man in front of the coffee table. After handing the magnifying glass on the table to the old man, he then opened the scroll of "Emperor Qianlong's Concubines Visiting the Garden". The scroll was very long, about three meters long. Zhuang Rui only unfolded about sixty or seventy centimeters according to the old man's instructions.
The old man remained silent, taking out a magnifying glass and almost bending over as he carefully examined the slightly cracked paper scroll. After a long while, he said, "Roll this up and look at what's underneath..."
The old man was very interested in the painting. He didn't even notice his nephew and student entering the room. He looked at it for about half an hour before letting out a long sigh and saying, "It's an authentic work by Giuseppe Castiglione. Although it's unsigned, it's definitely one. Judging from the materials, the style, and the social context of the time, it's undoubtedly genuine..."
Zhuang Rui didn't react to the old man's words, because he had already decided in his heart that the painting was an authentic work by Giuseppe Castiglione. However, it startled Fatty Jin, who was also an expert in the appraisal of calligraphy and painting. He naturally knew how rare Castiglione's paintings were, and he didn't expect that Zhuang Rui could actually find such a treasure.
Fatty Jin immediately took the magnifying glass from his teacher and examined it carefully. After a while, he nodded and said, "Teacher is right. Judging from the time period of this painting, the only person who could paint an oil painting of this level and technique, and who had the opportunity to paint emperors and concubines, was Giuseppe Castiglione..."
Jin Pangzi paused for a moment, then continued, "However, there is a great deal of controversy surrounding Lang Shining's surviving works. This painting should have been directly transferred from the Qing Palace. It lacks the seals and signatures of famous collectors and Lang Shining himself, so it will definitely be controversial if it is taken out..."
After hearing the student's words, the old man nodded slightly and looked at Zhuang Rui, asking, "Young man, are you planning to sell this painting? Or keep it for your own collection, or donate it to the country?"
Zhuang Rui hadn't expected the old man to ask such a question. He thought about it seriously for a moment before answering, "I will absolutely not sell it. For now, it's for collection, or maybe in the future, when conditions allow, we can open a museum. As for donating it to the country, forget about it. There are many cultural relics in the Palace Museum that the country doesn't even have the funds to maintain right now..."
Zhuang Rui was speaking from the heart. He probably wouldn't be short of money for the foreseeable future. He had thought about opening a museum before, and since the old man asked, he just mentioned it.
Donating it to the country? Zhuang Rui had never thought of that. It was his own stuff. If he had the money, he could set up a museum for people to visit. That would be much better than donating it to the country and having it stored in a warehouse that wouldn't be properly stored.
The old man nodded upon hearing this and said, "What you said makes sense. Being able to bring back these artifacts left by our ancestors from abroad is a contribution to the country. Whether we donate them or not is not important. Fatty, bring me my seal and brush. Young man, may I write a few words on this painting and put my seal on it? Is that alright?"
The old man had advised countless people throughout his life to donate their collection of national treasures to the country, but he also knew that Zhuang Rui was right, so he did not force him at the moment.
"Yes, of course, it would be my honor if you could inscribe something on it, sir..."
Zhuang Rui was overjoyed upon hearing this. The old man was essentially legitimizing his unsigned painting by Giuseppe Castiglione. With the old man's inscription, even if it was a fake, it would become genuine.
Chapter 546 Inscription
Calligraphy and paintings have a very special aspect among the categories of antiques. Compared with ceramics, bronzes or other antiques, they are not only more difficult to collect and preserve, but also have many differences.
For example, with some antiques, adding or deleting something can be like gilding the lily, significantly reducing their value. However, this doesn't apply to calligraphy and paintings.
Among existing antique paintings and calligraphy, the more inscriptions or seals are added, the higher their collection value. This is because not only are the paintings and calligraphy themselves antiques, but the people who inscribed them are often important figures in history. Their handwriting is already extremely precious, and this addition is like icing on the cake.
Some works by unknown figures throughout history have become famous and their prices have skyrocketed after being collected and inscribed by renowned figures in later generations.
Because many of those who wrote inscriptions on calligraphy and paintings were themselves famous calligraphers and painters or historical figures, the value of the inscriptions by collectors throughout history is often many times higher than the value of the works themselves.
For the master to inscribe his name on this painting would not only be an added bonus, but also a way of legitimizing its authenticity. Given the old man's reputation in the Chinese art collecting world, once he inscribed his name and stamped his seal, the painting by Giuseppe Castiglione would be considered a done deal, and no one in China would raise any objections to its authenticity.
"Teacher, the brush is ready..."
Since the gentleman hadn't been writing for anyone for a while, he had to moisten his brush first. This involved wetting the brush bristles with water and then hanging the brush upside down until the brush tip regained its resilience. If he wrote without moistening the brush first, the bristles would become brittle and easily break after being pressed down and stomped, resulting in poor elasticity.
This is a rat whisker brush, specially made for writing small characters. It is made from the whiskers of a house mouse. The brush moves smoothly and cleanly with a sharp tip, producing characters that are both soft and strong. Wang Xizhi's famous "Preface to the Poems Composed at the Orchid Pavilion" was written with this kind of brush.
The gentleman asked Zhuang Rui to unfold the scroll. After thinking for a moment, he dipped his brush in ink and wrote on the blank space of the scroll: "On the fifth day of the first month of the year Yiyou, I am delighted to see Lang Shining's long scroll painting. Respectfully left by XX." Then he asked his nephew, who was standing to the side, for his seal and pressed it down firmly on the inscription.
Although it consists of only a few dozen characters, it is evident that the gentleman's calligraphy is as elegant and classical as ever, exuding a scholarly air, and also carrying a sense of freedom and ease, just like his unrestrained thoughts. This is also a unique style of calligraphy created by the gentleman.
"Thank you, thank you sir..."
Zhuang Rui was surprised by this unexpected surprise and immediately thanked the master profusely.
"It's alright. Just bring back more of the things our country has lost overseas in the future..."
The old man waved his hand, his smile radiant. Yes, only radiant could describe it, because that almost childlike, innocent smile and his heartfelt words could easily dispel the gloom in people's hearts and make them unconsciously become cheerful.
"Teacher, your eyesight and hearing have improved. I was thinking we should go to the hospital for a checkup?"