"The style of writing and ink is unique and really interesting."
Gu Tongxiang left a Chinese painting "Wealthy Peonies" with beautiful brushwork on the personal homepage of Ma Shi Gallery.
Anna looked carefully.
The peony is bright red, with golden stamens and bright green branches and leaves.
Anna knows that plum blossoms, orchids, bamboos, chrysanthemums and peonies are all plant images with special meanings in oriental art and culture.
Traditional oriental painters pay more attention to painting peonies well.
Different from common herbs and flowers.
Peonies are woody plants.
Therefore, the branches of the writing should be very powerful, full and round, and contain changes in ups and downs.
Mr. Gu Tongxiang's writing is extremely elegant.
His overall style is a traditional oriental brush painting, but the veins and veins of the brush reveal the color principles of oil paints. This feeling seems to be——
"Um."
Miss Elena thought for a moment and opened the buyer's recommendation section of the "Oil Painting" magazine on her tablet's browser.
She entered the database and clicked on the search box with her fingertips.
Oil Painting Magazine is known as the essential tool guide for anyone working in the art field around the world.
The monthly membership fee of 75 euros is, to be honest, not cheap at all.
It is also very expensive for Europeans with high incomes and high welfare.
Ke Liangu Weijing's family has such a frugal family environment. Commonly used TV series such as Netflix and HBO are not available as members, so they all download and watch pirated versions online.
Gu's Book Gallery will definitely spend a sum of money to subscribe to "Oil Painting".
It's because its functions are so powerful and professional.
Covering almost all aspects of any art business field.
The magazine has extremely rich and complete functions, and has in-depth cooperation with several famous art databases such as ARTNET and ARTPRICE.
In addition to checking the magazine's recommended star rating for major painters in the art world, the buyer's recommendation column can also cover the transaction results of more than 90% of the world's regular auctions.
It provides historical transaction records, price fluctuation curves, and electronic albums with high image quality for hundreds of thousands of artworks.
Based on the memory of the artwork in her mind, Anna entered the text "Giuseppe Castiglione/Turkey (2017)" on the keyboard and clicked search.
The webpage was immediately directed to a transaction record of the 2017 Poly Auction.
"Sure enough, the painting methods of these two paintings give people the feeling of coming from the same origin."
Anna nodded.
Five years ago, Poly auctioned a Qing Dynasty palace painting "Turkey" by Giuseppe Castiglione (Note: Castiglione's real name).
This painting was auctioned once at a small auction house in New York very early in the last century.
The transaction price at that time was only a few tens of thousands of dollars.
Later, with the art market's pursuit of Castiglione's painting style, and the accurate identification of the origin of this painting was found in the documents of the Qing Palace's "House Affairs Office Archives".
In the past few years, it has been auctioned for a sky-high price of about 12 million US dollars, which has attracted a lot of attention in the art market. "Oil Painting" magazine also wrote a special review article.
From a technical perspective.
In terms of accuracy of pen and ink, this court painter could not compare with his Eastern contemporaries Tang Dai, Leng Mei, and Ding Guanpeng in terms of elegance of meaning. In terms of realism and gorgeous colors, he was even surpassed by the Baroque style.
But Castiglione's name is becoming more and more popular at auctions.
His unique painting style plays an indispensable role in it.
Unexpectedly, there would be a second oriental painter taking this retro art route in the world.
Anna firmly remembered the name Gu Tongxiang.
"Well, it's no wonder that Ma Shi Gallery is interested in this old man. In today's homogeneous oil painting market, this painting style can easily leave an impression on collectors at a glance. And it is better than Dadaism that sells a blank piece of paper. The eccentric art school can better reflect the true skill of the painter."
Anna nodded approvingly and frowned slightly.
But in detail...
minus the advantages of novel painting methods.
Regarding the writing quality of this "Picture of Rich Peonies", according to Miss Elena's evaluation standards, it is only considered to be passing.
This is because, after all, I come from a small place like Myanmar, which is far away from art trends.
It's not easy to draw like this. Anna was embarrassed to say some more venomous comments, so she gave Gu Tongxiang a passing grade in her heart.
Starting from the perspective of the structure of pen and ink lines.
The quality of this "Peony Drawing" is far from the level of a sketch of Detective Cat Sister that is rigorous enough to be printed in a textbook.
"However, this method of painting does not pay much attention to the level of sketching."
Miss Elena didn't know whether it was possible that this old Burmese gentleman was the detective cat connected to her.
Look at this situation.
The greater probability may be that... Detective Cat Sister is not on this list at all?
Eliot thoughtfully included a jump link to the gallery’s homepage on every document she compiled.
Anna jumped to the official website of Mashi Gallery with the idea that it wouldn't hurt to take a look.
Read through it.
She did not find any additional information of note about "Gu Tongxiang."
The gallery will not post on its homepage what kind of contracts it has signed with its agent painters.
At this time, she neither had any hope that Gu Tongxiang was a detective cat, nor could she completely rule out the possibility of this old gentleman like the previous two.
Anna makes an unexpected discovery.
On the official website of Ma Shi Gallery, this "Peony Painting" is for sale.
Similar to the limited-time online auction on EBAY, the highest bidder wins with a base price of 500 euros.
There are less than 75 hours until the auction ends.
Thirteen hours ago someone had already bid 850 euros.
Don't look at anything else,
The price of less than a thousand euros is enough to buy a work by an artist represented by a first-tier gallery like Mas.
This in itself is somewhat attractive.
Anna thought for a moment.
She is a member of the official website of Ma Shi Gallery.
After logging in with her account and password at the top of the page, the girl casually filled in 5,200 euros, clicked on the quote, and then returned the IPad in her hand to her secretary.
"Take a look at it for me. I want to buy this painting. If it's less than 20,000 euros, you don't have to ask me. You can just bid."
she ordered.
"OK."
Elliot glanced at the online auction page and saw only two or three bid records.
She stuck out her tongue helplessly, "For this unknown little painter, even if some people want to bid under the deadline, your 5,200 euros is enough to scare them away from any desire to bid. Even 1,200 euros is enough." .”
The secretary shrugged.
“Actually, if it really goes for more than 3,000 euros, there is a high probability that it will only be the gunmen hired by the gallery themselves to raise the price.”
Unless the work is particularly large in size.
The recommended reference amount for the market transaction price given by oil painting magazines to "one-star" painters is usually no more than 2,000 euros.
Considering the length of this painting, the price quoted by Miss Elena is already ridiculously high.
"This painting is not bad. It is worth the money. If it is not worth it now, it will be worth it in the future."
Anna doesn't care if she spends a thousand or two thousand euros more or less.
Even though this Mr. Gu Tongxiang has nothing to do with Detective Cat. She was still willing to buy the painting for collection.
My ability to use a pen is indeed not very strong, but my flaws do not hide my flaws.
If she is still the editor of the visual arts section of the magazine.
The "Peony Picture" alone shows the painter's ability to control the collision of Eastern and Western artistic styles in a relatively smooth and smooth manner.
Anna is willing to give a two- to two-and-a-half-star rating.
She has always believed stubbornly.
The market price should be determined by artistic value.
Instead of using market prices to measure the value of art, as many art speculators like to do.
In Miss Elena's eyes, this "Picture of Wealthy Peonies" is more in line with the original meaning of the word "art" than a specimen of sailfish soaked in formalin.
The painting itself is certainly not worth that much now.
Anna regarded these several thousand euros as early investment. It is used to reward this old gentleman and encourage him to continue to persevere in his creation.
deficit?
Anna didn't think she had anything to lose by giving some money to an old man who was trying hard to explore painting techniques.
It doesn’t matter if you can’t become famous.
And just keep painting like this.
This old gentleman's works should have considerable potential for appreciation in the future.
Critics with excellent artistic accomplishment believe in the artistic value of the other person's work even more than the painter himself.
When Picasso was just a slightly famous Spanish boy on the street in France, a young couple were extremely optimistic about his future and believed that this painting method had the potential to change the world.
And they allocated a large proportion of their personal savings to purchase Picasso's works of art.
The young couple's financial status at that time could only be considered middle-class at best, but they spent thousands of francs to buy dozens of Picasso's works.
By the time these paintings were ready to be sold around the turn of the millennium, the market price had exceeded US$200 million.
A return on investment of nearly 10,000 times.
If you buy a work by the "right" painter, there is such a huge room for appreciation.
Anna wasn't thinking about selling her paintings.
While she loves the detective cat sister Wujiwu, she is also simply willing to encourage this old painter who has innovative painting styles.
And historical records from the Renaissance to the present have proven one thing time and time again.
There are only a few artists who can be favored by the Irina family, and the prices of their works will not increase in value in the future.
There are countless famous paintings in the huge collection of Irina's family.
He is really like the oil prince of the Middle East, spending millions or tens of millions of euros on his works from the auction market.
But only a tiny fraction.
Over the past few hundred years, the Irina family has acted as patrons, investors, and protectors of painters of various schools of painting, and the painters have given away a large number of their works to express their respect.
In addition, most of the rest are people like Anna in front of her. When she finds a work that shines in her eyes, she spends a sum of money that is a drop in the bucket in her heart and is enough to make her happy in the eyes of the painter. painting.
Their family collection includes a painting called "Flowers in the Stone" by stylist Paul Klee, which is now expected to be auctioned for at least three million euros.
When her family purchased this painting at a "high" price in 1903, they paid less than 200 Austrian crowns plus a dinner.
It is said.
When Paul Klee was holding a croissant and pouring coffee into his mouth, he almost burst into tears of gratitude.
The Elena family has obtained the art they like, and this money can become the motivation for the young painters to persist on the road of art.
It is a very win-win investment.
"Gu Tongxiang..."
Anna was still trying to figure out the name in her mind.
The deep voice of Sir Brown, the current chairman of "Oil Painting", interrupted her random thoughts.
"Ladies and gentlemen."
Sir Brown clapped his hands.
"It's almost time. We are all familiar faces, so there is no need to introduce each other too much. It is a pity that our old friend Mr. Signac, because this week there is a meeting between the European Union Culture Agency and the Spanish Ministry of Culture, Sports and Education A ministerial meeting was about to be held and he could not get away, so he was absent from the meeting."
Chairman Brown nodded towards the young lawyer sitting at the end of the long table: "Fortunately, dear Mr. Signac has also sent an agent to execute his equity."
"All the remaining important shareholders of "Oil Painting" magazine have arrived. No need to say more polite words. We are all the most outstanding and outstanding talents in the entire field. It is an honor to work with you. But before we start, there is one question There is one thing I would like to explain in particular——"
Chairman Brown, who had silver hair and was dressed like a hereditary aristocratic member of the House of Lords, stood up and looked around.
He cleared his voice slightly.
"Everyone knows that we are a magazine in the midst of an important transformation."
"I believe that the vast majority of people sitting around me have enough courage to take responsibility for their own decisions, and are willing to show their determination to work together to bring "Oil Painting" into a more brilliant and glorious new era."
Jazz's eyes ignored the two girls opposite him and glanced at the figures of famous experts and scholars under his seat.
"Based on this. I hope that no matter what the outcome is, all shareholder resolutions, meeting logs and everyone's voting signatures at this meeting will be released to the public. And as part of the magazine's development plan, they will be sent to every "Oil Painting" magazine subscriber. in the mailbox."
The chairman held out an index finger: "This is our first proposal today."
The corner of the conference room.
There was already a clerk typing quickly in front of the laptop, recording every word the chairman said in a document.
There was a brief silence in the room.
The men were silent for a moment, exchanging meaningful glances with each other.
"Oil Painting" magazine is not a listed company. Together, they, the shareholders, own 100% of it.
It has no obligation to release corporate financial reports or development plans to the public.
And the proposal didn't even appear on the shareholder meeting log.
Strictly speaking, this kind of sudden attack without greeting may even be suspected of violating the relevant provisions of the "Company Law".
But no one pointed this out.
We are all smart people.
Sir Brown is really a thoughtful old fox.
The suggestion he made now that he hopes to distribute the content of today's shareholders' meeting to every magazine audience is very shrewd.
What could be a clearer statement of the magazine’s determination to make changes than a document signed and endorsed by so many top experts?
at the same time,
This also means that after the resolution of the shareholders' meeting is announced to the public, everyone is on the same warship in the eyes of the public media.
Everyone signed their name to the resolution to kick out the Irina family.
They have made a very clear cut now and there will be no wiggle room in the future.
Don't sign?
Oh, if you don't sign, then the young girl across the long table may not be the only one who tries to get kicked out of the management.
The Lu family is right-leaning, and the Liu family is left-leaning.
Either choose the new force represented by Kruger Brothers Bank, or choose to get out with Miss Irina.
There is no room for the fence-sitting faction!
Make money and get rich together.
If there is any problem in the future and everyone capsizes together, don't even think about kicking Sir Brown out to take the blame.
However,
With so many artistic giants standing side by side, how could there be any possibility that the boat would really capsize?
"I agree with Sir Brown's proposal. Everyone, since we came here, we all hold the same belief in our hearts. Since we want to make great strides forward, we should not be timid and let go of what needs to be given up. I believe that in the near future, today’s shareholders’ meeting will create a new wealth myth.”
Mr. Al-Khelaifi from the United States raised his hand, "It will be like the "Philadelphia Declaration" in the art world, becoming a milestone in the magazine's liberation from the rule of the Jelena family. Each of us will be honored by signing it. Glory."
This fat old man with a spirit of North American adventure was originally Sir Brown's biggest supporter among the shareholders of the magazine.
He took the lead in echoing the chairman's proposal.
The fat old man turned his head and looked at Anna across the table, shrugged and spread his hands: "I'm sorry, beautiful Miss Elena. We all know that this is not a personal grudge."
"If you are willing to change your mind and stand among us, I will kneel down and kiss the back of your hand." Al-Khelaifi made a rather funny facial expression.
Under his leadership.
Shareholders began to raise their hands one after another.
It was originally something I had thought about before attending the meeting, and now there is nothing to hesitate about.
In the end, even Professor Sakurai and the lawyer representing the Signac shareholder raised their hands.
"12 votes in favor of the proposal and 1 vote against, then it's OK..."
Sir Brown got what he wanted.
All shareholders except the heiress of the Elena family have remained consistent with their own will.
This is a good start to clearing the mark on Irina's family.
He could imagine Miss Elena's embarrassment when the shareholding resolution was announced to the public.
Just when the chairman was about to announce the passage of the first resolution.
"Mr. Brown, please stop." Anna finally spoke.
"Miss Elena, I understand that you have different opinions now, but the proportion of shareholders who agree with the resolution has exceeded two-thirds. I'm afraid..."
Sir Brown replied politely, and he sneered inwardly.
little girl,
It’s useless if you’re not happy now, the general trend is behind me.
"No, I mean you counted the wrong vote."
Anna smiled and shook her head.
"I think your suggestion is very good. When a drama reaches its climax, a painter is really needed to paint the expressions of each leading actor on the stage vividly. This way, when looking back on this past event in the future, the audience can repeat it again and again. Experience the good, evil, loyalty and villainy of each character.”
Miss Irina also raised her hand generously.
"So it should be 13 votes in favor and 0 votes against."
"Hmm, it's hard to say whether it was the Philadelphia Declaration or the mob's orgy of killing Socrates."
Eliot sniffed fiercely next to him, and supported the young lady bitterly: "If every pottery tablet that agreed to execute Socrates was engraved with the name of the instigator. This kind of crime would be made of iron." People will also be cast aside by history for a long time."
The old people opposite were silent again.
Only the sound of the cold wind in early spring came from the window.
"Well, in the adult world, everyone will stubbornly insist that they are right. This is not a debate competition, and there is no point in arguing with words. We should use the equity we hold to speak for ourselves."
Sir Brown knocked on the table hard, relieving the embarrassing atmosphere in the room.
"Well, time is precious, let's get straight to the point. Each of you has in front of you an agreement regarding the acquisition of the magazine's shares by Kruger Brothers Bank. You must have read it carefully. The Austrian national government has approved the bank's acquisition. Proposal. Now is the time for everyone to express whether they are willing to accept a new major shareholder to join us."
"170 million euros, obtaining 35.4% of the shares. Although many of you will reduce your shareholdings as a result. But this capital injection also means that the brand value of "Oil Painting" magazine has reached a full 500 million euros. "
Austrian company law stipulates that the sale of shares to external parties requires the approval of a majority of shareholders.
Sir Brown waved his arms, making no secret of his determination to facilitate the acquisition: "I don't need to remind you what a generous offer this is."
Five hundred million euros.
Everyone's breathing became heavier.
Everyone knows that if "Oil Painting" magazine were put on the scale of money, it would definitely exceed the conservative valuation of 100 million euros.
But this directly increased five times.
The shareholders here are at least millionaires, but 500 million euros is still a number that can make their hearts beat faster for them.
"Before everyone votes, I want to say something."
At this moment, Miss Elena suddenly supported the table and moved the wheelchair backwards.
In everyone's astonished eyes, she asked her secretary Elliot to push her to the opposite side of the long table.
"Sir Brown, you are the Beidou in the field of Egyptian studies. Although my aunt had some ideological differences with you back then, she has always admired your academic contributions."
Anna actually stretched out a hand and shook hands with Sir Brown who was confused.
"Professor Sakurai, I read your article on the comparative analysis of color science in Pissarro and Seurat's works in "Asian Art" when I was in high school. You can receive the sponsorship bonus from the Rockefeller Foundation, which is really worthy of... …”
"Mr. Al-Khelaifi..."
Miss Elena didn't seem to read the indifferent atmosphere around those people at all.
She actually started to say hello to them one after another out of sheer boredom.
(End of chapter)
