First, the mayor of Huashi gave a speech. However, Gao Jianfei listened for a few moments and then stopped paying attention. It was nothing more than empty official rhetoric. He thanked teachers Ge Chunhou and Ma Junsheng for their strong support and participation in this grand event. Then he thanked Comrade Gao Jianfei for funding the competition, contributing to the cultural life of the people of Huashi… basically just useless platitudes.
Next, the Party Secretary of Huashi City gave a speech. Then came a speech by the Minister of Culture and Publicity of G Province, who was invited as a special guest, followed by a speech from the "Chairman" of the G Province Painters Association…
In short, the speeches by the leaders took about an hour.
Then the members of the judging panel were introduced one by one.
Looking at the artists, Gao Jianfei thought to himself that most of his sponsorship fees probably ended up in their pockets. They were all slick and shiny with oil, their faces glowing; they seemed to have made a pretty good profit.
Then, it was time for the two sides in this competition, Ma Junsheng and Gao Jianfei, to speak.
Ma Junsheng stood up, bowed to the judges' panel and the "chairman's" platform, and then said emotionally, "Thank you to all the teachers, colleagues, and leaders for participating in this exchange competition. I, Ma Junsheng, have been studying painting under Teacher Ge for over twenty years. I am still somewhat lacking in artistic talent and haven't fully grasped the essence of my teacher's techniques. However, I, Ma Junsheng, have always worked hard, learning and 'touching' the art. In recent years, my works have made significant progress and have entered some major auction houses and mainstream galleries nationwide, gaining some recognition, which is very gratifying! At the same time, I am extremely grateful to Teacher Ge for his guidance. Today..." "Oh, taking this opportunity, Ma Junsheng will showcase a landscape painting. This painting can be considered one of his most artistically accomplished works in recent years! I humbly request your guidance and critique, teachers, colleagues, and leaders. Thank you all." He paused, then turned his gaze to Gao Jianfei. "Of course, I also want to thank this young man for his generous sponsorship. However, as a senior figure in this field, I must offer this young man a friendly reminder… Learning to paint can sometimes be very tedious, and you can experience anxiety and worry due to a lack of inspiration. Therefore, young man, in your future studies and creations, you must be diligent and persistent!"
After speaking, Ma Junsheng bowed politely again and then sat down.
Thunderous applause erupted from all around. Some people began to whisper amongst themselves…
"This Mr. Ma is too modest. His paintings can sell for at least several hundred thousand yuan each in China right now, so he should be considered a famous artist."
"Yes, he was willing to have a hand-drawing contest with that young man today, probably to give him a boost. Teacher Ma is truly a living saint in this circle!"
It was Gao Jianfei's turn to speak.
Gao Jianfei first politely thanked the leaders and experts attending the salon. Then he simply said, "These past few days, I also casually completed a piece of work. Later, I would like to ask the experts and leaders to review it and give their evaluation and guidance."
After both sides finished their speeches, they formally presented their respective works.
First, two tall and elegant hostesses dressed in cheongsams went to Ma Junsheng, picked up his work, and took it to the judges' table.
Two young ladies, one on the left and one on the right, spread out Ma Junsheng's artwork, held it up, and let the judges examine it carefully.
Gao Jianfei couldn't help but stand up, take a few steps, and stop at a spot where he could just see the front of Ma Junsheng's painting. He looked up and...
It was a painting that was about 70 centimeters long and 50 centimeters wide.
In the distance, the painting depicts undulating peaks, deep and lofty, with clouds and mist rising and falling among them. Temples and pavilions in the depths of the mountains appear and disappear amidst the clouds and mist, creating an ethereal and dreamlike scene. In the foreground, there is a flowing stream, a wooden bridge, and gnarled pine trees, creating a serene and elegant landscape.
Undeniably, this painting possesses considerable technical skill. The brushwork and style are both superb, vividly depicting the scenery.
However, in Gao Jianfei's view... this painting is dead!
Gao Jianfei had seen some of Qiu Ying's authentic works, and Gao Jianfei's current skill level was equivalent to Qiu Ying's. Therefore, Gao Jianfei's appreciation of a painting was naturally of a very high standard.
Ma Junsheng's paintings can only be described as very well painted, but... they lack artistic conception!
It didn't feel immersive at all!
Rigid and inflexible!
To put it simply, it lacks a certain spark.
Of course, this is just Gao Jianfei's opinion, but for the expert reviewers, this painting is enough to earn their thumbs up.
"Tsk, Junsheng's painting skills have improved quite a bit!" An elderly man with a white beard, dressed in a Tang suit and holding a purple clay teapot, gazed at Ma Junsheng's painting with a smile. "Judging by the quality of this painting, Junsheng's painting skills should easily rank him in the top 70 among young painters in China! Not bad, very good!"
Hearing the old man in the Tang suit speak like that, Ma Junsheng couldn't help but laugh. The reason was simple: this old man in the Tang suit was none other than Wu Keyou, one of the top painters in China, whose skill was said to be close to that of Zhang Daqian and Qi Baishi.
If a young painter like Ma Junsheng (who is in his thirties and falls into the category of "young painter") can receive his praise, it means that Ma Junsheng's paintings are definitely good.
At least, someone of Wu Ke's caliber doesn't need to deliberately curry favor with Ge Chunhou and his apprentice Ma Junsheng. If he says it's good, then it really is good.
Two hostesses carefully carried Ma Junsheng's work, moving it step by step, so that every expert on the judging panel could appreciate Ma Junsheng's work from all angles.
Every expert who saw this painting had the same expression... a nod, a smile, and an approving look.
Ma Junsheng and Ge Chunhou exchanged a knowing smile. They were both very satisfied. In their eyes, Gao Jianfei was a complete fool, paying them and his apprentice to do things for them! Publicity!
After each member of the expert review panel had viewed the painting, two hostesses carried it to the leaders' seating area and showed it to them.
The leaders all nodded in agreement.
In particular, the "chairman" of the G Province Painters Association loudly praised, "Truly, a great teacher produces a great student! Junsheng, your painting skills have at least seventy percent of what Old Ge truly taught you!"
"Ha, Old Long, don't praise my apprentice too much, lest he become arrogant. There is no end to learning, and diligence is the only way to reach the mountain of knowledge! He still needs to hone his skills and keep learning!" Ge Chunhou boasted.
Finally, after everyone had admired Ma Junsheng's work, the renowned Chinese painter Wu Keyu stood up and announced, "In terms of artistic expression, Junsheng's painting is meticulously detailed, reminiscent of the style of Zhao Boju from the Song Dynasty. Every blade of grass, every branch and leaf, as well as the figures' movements and expressions, are depicted with exquisite precision and meticulous craftsmanship. The entire painting is rendered in shades of green, the colors vibrant and elegant. It demonstrates Junsheng's profound ability to depict figures and landscapes. Very good! Very good! Based on my experience, this painting's market value will not be less than 800,000!"
"Clap!" Enthusiastic applause erupted from the judges' panel, the leaders' panel, and the audience.
Ma Junsheng stood up, his eyes practically overflowing with pride!
Next, it was Gao Jianfei's turn to be displayed.
The two hostesses walked to Gao Jianfei's seat, picked up his painting of the Red Cliff, and took it to the judges' table to unfold it.
Ma Junsheng and Ge Chunhou both looked at Gao Jianfei with extreme contempt and ridicule.
Originally, the judges were mostly relaxed and distracted. It was as if they had gone to a hotel for a big meal, all the dishes had been served, and they were full, but now they were picking their teeth with toothpicks and burping.
However, when the painting was unfolded...
First, the great painter Wu Keyou's back straightened up instantly, as if springs had been installed! His gaze was fixed on the painting! His two eyes were like two walnuts!
"Hmm?" The person sitting next to Wu Ke, who had been lounging around, quickly sat up straight. He rubbed his eyes, looked at the painting, rubbed his eyes again, and stared at the painting again.
One by one, the previously apathetic expert judges instantly focused their attention on the painting. Not a single person uttered a comment, and no one whispered among themselves.
silence.
Utter silence!
Two minutes later, Wu Ke said, trembling, "Bring it here! Bring that painting to me! Put it on my desk! Quickly! Quickly!"
The two receptionists were startled, but quickly handed the painting to Wu Keyou. The Palace Museum expert next to Wu Keyou immediately shouted, "Be careful! You two, be careful!"
The painting was laid flat on Wu Keyou's table. He stood up, his gaze fixed intently on it. The museum connoisseur beside him even took out a pair of white gloves and a magnifying glass from his pocket. Wearing the gloves, he gently touched the surface of the painting, occasionally using the magnifying glass to examine every stroke and every drop of ink. As he observed, he said to Wu Keyou, "Professor Wu, please be careful. Try not to touch it; it wouldn't be good to leave sweat stains and fingerprints."
Soon, dozens of experts surrounded Wu Keyou's table in three layers.
"What the hell is going on?" Ge Chunhou and Ma Junsheng stood up at the same time.
"Jianfei, what exactly are you drawing?" Qin Leshi asked Gao Jianfei with suspicion.
Gao Jianfei chuckled, took out a cigarette and lit it. "It's nothing, just some random doodles I drew over a few days."
Over there, one of the judges shouted loudly towards the "chairman's" stage, "Teacher Long, come quick! Hurry! Quickly!"
Long Ke, the "chairman" of the G Province Painters Association who had been sitting on the stage, realized that something was wrong and quickly stood up and went over.
He also joined the onlookers.
The scene was extremely bizarre!
A full ten minutes passed before the renowned painter Wu Ke, speaking into the microphone, shouted, "What kind of international joke is this? Huh? Damn it! This is an authentic work by the Ming Dynasty painter Qiu Ying! An authentic work! An authentic work!"
Chapter 152 Yue Shi, Let Me Paint You
Chapter 152 Yue Shi, Let Me Paint You
"Isn't this an authentic work? Isn't this an authentic work by Qiu Ying, the great painter of the Ming Dynasty? How did it end up here, participating in some kind of exchange competition? Isn't this an international joke? Are they trying to fool us?" Wu Keyou, a highly respected painter in China, roared into the microphone with a booming voice, "This is the Red Cliff Painting! This is Qiu Ying's authentic Red Cliff Painting!"
As Qiu Ying shouted at the top of his lungs, the experts who had surrounded him and were scrambling to admire the painting became noisy.
On the other side of the platform, the municipal and provincial leaders were whispering amongst themselves, their expressions quite strange. Some looked incredulous, some sneered, some mocked, and some sighed. Xu Jianping, the Minister of Culture and Propaganda of G Province, exclaimed, "These rich kids really like to mess around! Even with money, this isn't how you spend it! This is purely a joke! Using a genuine work by a famous artist to compete with Teacher Ge and Junsheng—is that meaningful? Absolutely not!"
Secretary Meng, the Party Secretary of Huashi City, quickly smiled apologetically and said, "Minister Xu, that's not how it works. That young man sponsored this salon entirely on his own, which is a contribution to the cultural community of our G Province."
While the leadership team was whispering and discussing amongst themselves, Ge Chunhou and Ma Junsheng both looked at Gao Jianfei with cold sneers.
Ge Chunhou and Ma Junsheng also heard Wu Keyou shouting about Qiu Ying's authentic calligraphy. However, the two, master and apprentice, remained completely unmoved. They merely looked at Gao Jianfei with cold, sarcastic eyes.
Qin Leshi was both surprised and amused. "Jianfei, I don't even know what to say to you. I know about the Red Cliff Painting. A few years ago, it sold for over 70 million RMB at auction. It's a national treasure... Uh? Jianfei! How did you get this painting? My God! You didn't buy it, did you? This painting was so expensive a few years ago, and it has a lot of potential for appreciation. If you wanted to buy it now, it would probably cost over 100 million RMB?"
Gao Jianfei laughed, “How could I possibly spend so much money to buy a painting? Besides, there are only three existing paintings of the Red Cliff in the world, and they are all treasures of provincial and municipal museums. How could the local ‘government’ possibly sell them to me?”
"Huh? A fake?" Qin Leshi frowned. "A high-quality replica?"
Her question clearly indicated her disbelief that the painting was by Gao Jianfei. After all, even renowned Chinese painter Wu Keyu had mistaken it for an original. This meant that the Red Cliff painting exhibited by Gao Jianfei was an incredibly convincing forgery. To achieve this, deceiving so many judges, required extensive study and practice of Qiu Ying's paintings. It also demanded a certain level of talent! Qin Leshi didn't believe Gao Jianfei was the author of this high-quality forgery!
At this moment, Ma Junsheng and Ge Chunhou walked towards Gao Jianfei at the same time.
Gao Jianfei and Qin Leshi immediately stopped talking and couldn't help but look at Ge Chunhou and his apprentice. Both of them were now glaring and bristling with anger. Their expressions showed extreme fury.
Yes, there was no surprise, only anger. It implied a strong call to action to punish the perpetrators.
They weren't surprised that Gao Jianfei had bid on a priceless masterpiece. After all, if Gao Jianfei could so casually spend nearly 10 million to host this salon competition, it wouldn't be surprising if he went and bid on an authentic work by Qiu Ying. What they were truly indignant about was… Gao Jianfei had mocked and insulted them!
Originally, Ma Junsheng's painting was a work that exceeded his usual standards, and he hoped to use it to formally enter the circle of top-tier painters in China. However, Gao Jianfei's actions made the whole thing seem somewhat ridiculous and absurd!
With the appearance of Qiu Ying's authentic work, the experts' attention was inevitably diverted! Even knowing that Gao Jianfei was playing a prank, the experts would still be overjoyed to admire the Red Cliff painting and ignore Ma Junsheng's previous masterpiece!
Indeed, compared to the works of a master like Qiu Ying, no other painter present, including the renowned Chinese painter Wu Keyou, can compare! It's like a kindergarten child standing in front of a doctoral student.
Let's not even talk about Ma Junsheng's work!
"Gao Jianfei!" Ma Junsheng glared at Gao Jianfei with extreme resentment. "What are you doing? Are you deliberately playing a trick on me and my teacher?"
Gao Jianfei participated in this salon exchange competition without hiding his real name. He came specifically for the prestigious "artist" title; being low-key would have been detrimental.
"I'm playing a trick on you?" Gao Jianfei was taken aback. "I don't like playing tricks on people. Besides, we're not that close, I have no reason to play a trick on you. You must have made a mistake."
"Hmph! Just because you have money doesn't mean you're so great! In this kind of setting, you actually brought a genuine work by Master Qiu Ying to exhibit. This is a complete defilement of art! An insult to the artist! You rich second-generation have absolutely no manners! I don't know how you received your education when you were a child!" Ge Chunhou seemed a little embarrassed and angry, and his words were not polite at all.
"What authentic work? The piece I exhibited was completed by myself in the last few days, after shutting myself away at home and putting in a lot of effort. Saying such things is an insult to me!" Gao Jianfei said righteously.
"You drew this yourself?" Qin Leshi, Ma Junsheng, and Ge Chunhou exclaimed almost in unison.
Just when everything was in complete chaos, the renowned painter Wu Keyou personally took charge of maintaining order at the scene. The judges, who had been surrounding his table in three layers, all returned to their original positions.
Wu Ke stood up and exchanged a glance with Chu Kai, the calligraphy and painting appraisal expert from the Palace Museum. Their faces were both extremely flushed, showing their excitement.
“Young man…you, come here.” Wu Ke waved to Gao Jianfei, his eyes gleaming with an extremely strange light.
Gao Jianfei smiled slightly, stepped out of his seat, and walked over there.
Ge Chunhou and Ma Junsheng exchanged a glance, then followed him over.
"Young man, how did you acquire this painting of Qiu Ying's Red Cliff?" Wu Keyu asked excitedly. However, he seemed to be having a lot to talk about, and after asking a question, he started to ramble on and on. "The great Ming Dynasty painter Qiu Ying is my idol! My painting style is based on imitating Qiu Ying. However, my talent is limited. I can only achieve an 80% resemblance to Qiu Ying's paintings, but I haven't captured even a trace of his spirit!"
Wu Keyou consistently imitated Qiu Ying's painting style, but he could only achieve a superficial resemblance of 80% to Qiu Ying's authentic works. However... the resemblance was superficial, but the spirit was completely different!
Even so, Wu Keyou still became one of the top painters in China!
Gao Jianfei made a mental assessment and concluded that, according to Wu Keyou's statement, his current level of traditional Chinese painting skills could definitely be ranked first in China!
As for Wu Keyuo's question about how he acquired the painting, Gao Jianfei didn't answer immediately. Wu Keyuo continued, "Since I imitate Qiu Ying's paintings, I naturally know his original works inside and out! Take this 'Red Cliff' painting, for example. It's Qiu Ying's masterpiece, a masterpiece among masterpieces! It measures 129 cm long and 23.5 cm wide, with elegant brushwork, refined style, and pure spirit. There are three 'Red Cliff' paintings in existence today. One is in the Liaoning Provincial Museum; another is in the Shanghai Museum; and the last one is in the possession of an overseas collector. Just now, I saw the 'Red Cliff' painting you exhibited, young man. Judging from its spirit and brushwork, it's an authentic work. So, at first, I was truly convinced it was an authentic Qiu Ying painting! But upon closer inspection, something seems amiss..."
At this point, Chu Kai, an expert in calligraphy and painting authentication from the Palace Museum, immediately chimed in, “There is indeed something amiss. As Professor Wu just mentioned, Qiu Ying’s three surviving paintings of the Red Cliff already have owners, and they wouldn’t be easily transferred. If this young man’s painting is truly an authentic Red Cliff painting by Qiu Ying, then it can only be understood as the fourth Red Cliff painting that has been scattered among the people. But… well, everyone, please look at this painting. The paper is definitely from around the Ming Dynasty, that’s for sure. However, judging from the brushwork, it was absolutely painted within the last week or so. Based on my decades of professional experience in calligraphy and painting authentication, this is beyond doubt!”