In an antique store.
Xiao Ran was looking at the so-called antique artworks displayed on various museum shelves, looking very interested and very focused.
The so-called antique artworks displayed here include Japanese antiques, Chinese antique artworks, and a small amount of Western antique artworks.
Of course, there are also many modern handicrafts and tourist souvenirs, as well as second-hand luxury goods and so on.
The objects that Xiao Ran focuses on are naturally Chinese antiques and Western antiques.
He had little interest in the largest collection of Japanese antiques.
Tracing back to its roots, Japanese culture originated from the glorious and splendid ancient Chinese culture.
However, the path of Japanese culture has gone astray. The evil nature of a small country with few people and a small family spirit are everywhere.
Japanese antiques that carry Japanese culture have the same virtues and cannot be put on the table.
As far as Xiao Ran is concerned, he sincerely despises crooked Japanese antiques.
In addition to Japanese antiques, Korean antiques are also the same, and the way is even more evil!
While Xiao Ran was inspecting the goods displayed on the museum shelves, Miura Guangnan and several clerks were standing in the reception area, staring at him with wide eyes.
At the same time, these were also whispered.
"It seems that the rumors are correct. Sean has a very sharp vision. All the treasures he pays attention to are genuine."
"He ignored all the imitations and fakes on the museum shelves!"
a clerk whispered.
Before he finished speaking, the other clerk nodded immediately.
"Yes, this guy Sean is definitely a rare master."
"We have to be careful today, don't let this guy catch us!"
Miura Konan, who stood in front of them, did not speak, but his eyes were full of worry.
When these clerks were discussing, they naturally spoke in Japanese.
They thought that Xiao Ran couldn't understand Japanese at all, so they weren't too careful.
But little did they know that Xu Lin and Wang Jue, standing on the left and right of Xiao Ran, were proficient in Japanese.
Using the cover of masks, the two beauties translated every Japanese sentence they heard in a low voice.
Xiao Ran remained calm, as if he didn't hear anything.
While he was talking, he came to a painting vat.
This is a medium-sized blue and white painting vat, which contains some Chinese calligraphy and painting scrolls, ranging in size from large to small, and in different states of preservation.
Some scrolls are completely apricot yellow, and the edges are even somewhat frayed, giving them a very aged look!
There are also some scrolls that are in much better condition. The framing does not look very old, but looks like something from modern times.
Xiao Ran first glanced at the situation in the painting vat, then took out a pair of gloves from his pocket and put them on his hands.
Immediately afterwards, he reached into the painting vat and took out a medium-sized scroll.
The preservation condition of this calligraphy and painting scroll is not very good, it looks a bit vicissitudes of life, but fortunately there is no damage.
After picking up the scroll, Xiao Ran first checked the appearance.
Perhaps because of its age, the two shaft heads of this scroll are somewhat damaged, but fortunately they are not rotten.
Judging from the outside alone, the scroll mounting workmanship is average.
What's more important is that the scroll's mounting technique is actually Japanese-style.
But the label on this scroll clearly reads in Chinese and Japanese, "The Picture of the Fisherman and the Woodcutter"
In other words, this is a Chinese painting with color on paper.
Such a Chinese painting and calligraphy work with a classic theme, put together with Japanese decoration, immediately gives people a nondescript feeling, very weird!
Seeing this, Xiao Ran couldn't help but feel a hint of heartache in his eyes, but it disappeared briefly.
The next moment, he took the scroll, walked to a desk next to it, and placed it on the desk.
Immediately afterwards, he gently pulled open the ribbon that tied the scroll, slowly unfolded it little by little, and pretended to look at it carefully.
Just like the Chinese characters on the label, this is a picture of "Questions between Fishermen and Woodcutter".
In the painting, an old fisherman is boating on the river and fishing in the river, enjoying himself.
At this time, a woodcutter came down from the mountain carrying a load of firewood, sat down on a rock by the river, and prepared to rest.
Seeing the old fisherman fishing in the river, the two started chatting.
The two old men asked and answered questions, and through some very simple dialogues, they dispelled heavy topics such as the rise and fall of ancient and modern times.
The two old people in the painting are very expressive, vivid and lifelike. The scenery in the painting is very beautiful and feels like a paradise!
In the upper right corner of the painting, a five-character quatrain is written with flying dragons and phoenixes.
That is exactly the "Picture of Fishing and Woodcutter" by Zhang Ning, a poet of the Ming Dynasty.
"The wind is calm, the smoke is calm, the clouds are deep, and the stone paths are long."
“One day’s talk in the country makes the city busy again.”
At the end of this five-character quatrain, there is a vague seal, and the words on it can no longer be seen clearly.
Except for this red seal of unknown origin, there is no other seal or any extra inscription on this scroll!
This is almost impossible to happen in an ancient Chinese painting.
What's more, this painting is so outstanding that literati and collectors of all dynasties would not let go of the opportunity to leave their personal mark on it!
For example, the famous sealing madman, Emperor Qianlong!
There were as many literati as him in ancient China who had the same hobby as crucian carp crossing the river, and they were too numerous to count!
Perhaps it is because of its age and vicissitudes.
The surface of this scroll is full of apricot yellow and has spots, but fortunately it does not affect the appreciation.
Xiao Ran pretended to appreciate the painting seriously for a while, then pondered for a moment, then turned to look at Miura Konan and asked curiously:
"Boss Miura, what is the situation of this "Fishing and Woodcutter Questions" painting? Can you introduce it to me?"
"If I read it correctly, this painting should be a fragment. The original parts with the inscription and seal have disappeared."
"Fortunately, the main part of the painting has been preserved, but the author cannot be confirmed."
"Another point is, what's going on with the Japanese-style framing on the outside of the painting? This is obviously a secondary framing."
"From this mounting technology and the cheap materials used, it can be basically determined that this should have been mounted in Japan in the early 1950s."
"ah!"
Several Japanese people, including Miura Mitsanna, all exclaimed.
Without exception, these guys were all shocked by Xiao Ran's words.
Can you even see the Japanese-style framing from the early 1950s? real or fake? How can this be? It’s so amazing!
After some shock, Miura Konan quickly stepped forward and bowed with great admiration.
"Mr. Sean, your vision is so sharp and admirable!"
"I didn't expect you to know the Japanese framing techniques of the early 1950s. It's incredible!"
Xiao Ran smiled softly and then explained a few words.
"Actually, it's nothing. I've seen a few paintings using this mounting technique in the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York!"
"That's why I recognized this Japanese framing technique"
“So that’s the case, it’s still very admirable.”
Miura Guangnan said suddenly, and then began to introduce the situation of this scroll.
"Mr. Sean, this painting from China should be an ancient painting. It is old!"
“But I don’t know exactly how old it is and which ancient painter it is!”
"A year and a half ago, an old woman in her seventies came to my shop with this painting and prepared to sell it."
"I thought that although this painting was incomplete, it was of good quality, so I took it in."
"According to the old woman, this painting was passed down from her father's generation, but her father passed away very early and did not explain the origin of this painting."
"During the bombing of Tokyo in the late World War II, the room where this painting was stored was bombed by the US military. When cleaning up the trash afterwards, only part of the remaining painting was recovered!"
"The part that was burned was the part with the inscription and seal. Fortunately, the main body of the painting was preserved."
"In the early 1950s, the old woman's father reframed the painting, and it became what you see now."
Next, Miura Mitsunami continued to introduce things about this painting.
After receiving the painting, he asked for appraisal many times.
Unfortunately, no one has been able to identify the painting's provenance or determine its value.
The only thing that is certain is that this is indeed an ancient painting.
But which dynasty it comes from and how many years ago it is cannot be determined.
Based on the five-character quatrain in the upper right corner of the painting, several appraisal experts agreed that,
This painting was probably created sometime during the Ming and Qing dynasties.
This identification result does not help to increase the value of the painting.
Regarding this information, Miura Guangnan was not very willing to say it.
Why didn't he want to ask for a high price and take this opportunity to make a fortune?
However, he knew it very well.
If you do that, you will definitely be humiliating yourself and will be self-defeating.
He had already heard about how sharp Xiao Ran's vision was, and he had just seen a little bit of it.
Facing such a top antique art appraisal expert, how could he dare to play any tricks?
After hearing his introduction, Xiao Ran pondered for a moment, then said with a smile:
"I didn't expect that there are so many stories hidden behind this painting of "The Fishing and Woodcutter Questions". It's very interesting."
"Such an interesting ancient painting is worth studying."
"Boss Miura, I want to buy this painting and take it back to study. Please give me a price!"
"Ah, you want to buy this ancient painting of unknown origin?"
Miura Konan said in surprise, a little surprised.
"Yes, I want to buy this painting and see if I can discover anything."
Xiao Ran nodded in response.
After the words fell, Miura Guangnan fell silent and did not give an answer immediately.
Immediately afterwards, he looked at the "Picture of Fishing and Woodcutter Questions" again, his eyes filled with suspicion.
Unfortunately, he didn't discover anything new.
In his eyes, this was still a incomplete ancient painting of unknown origin, with limited value.
After thinking for a moment, he gave the offer.
"Mr. Sean, the price for this painting "Fishermen and Woodcutter Questions" is US$5,000."
"If you can accept this offer, this painting will be yours."
Without any hesitation, Xiao Ran immediately nodded and responded:
"Okay, $5,000, deal, I want this ancient painting."
With that said, he touched elbows with Miura Mitsunami and finalized the art deal.
He was so straightforward that Miura Mitsunami was immediately put in trouble!
Miura Konan was stunned again, suddenly feeling that something bad was going on!
Could this ancient painting from China be the work of a master? Was he taken advantage of by Sean?
At this moment, Anthony suddenly came to Xiao Ran and reported in a low voice:
"Sean, there are several Japanese people outside. The leader said he is the director of the Tokyo Museum."
"They just went to the hotel and wanted to see you, but they failed."
"I heard that you came to Ginza, and they followed you. Will you let them in?"
Before Xiao Ran could respond, Miura Guangnan exclaimed.
"Ah! The director of the Tokyo National Museum is here. Did I hear you correctly?"
With that said, the guy quickly walked towards the door of the antique store.
Fishing and woodcutter questions
