Chapter Fifty-two: Unveiling the Painting (Part 2)

  Although Liu Lao was already showing some fatigue after this step, the subsequent work was still carried out in an orderly and calm manner. And when that blank paper was slowly unveiled, a painting with the same theme of stone and bamboo appeared before everyone's eyes.

  Everyone present was excited and amazed when they saw this work, because the author of this painting is really too famous. It can be said that in the world of calligraphy and painting, everyone knows him and everyone has heard of him.

  However, the steps of uncovering the painting have not been fully completed yet, so everyone can only suppress their excitement for now and wait until Liu Lao finishes all his work.

  "This...this is actually a bamboo and stone painting created by Zheng Xie!"

  After the entire process of uncovering was completed, Liu Lao, despite his exhausted body, took up a magnifying glass with an extremely excited expression and leaned in, muttering to himself.

  Zheng Xie may be unfamiliar to some people, but mention another name of his, Zheng Banqiao, and I believe everyone will know who he is.

  Zheng Xie, one of the "Eight Eccentrics of Yangzhou" in the Qing dynasty, is also the most famous and household name among the Qing dynasty painters. Xu Beihong once commented on him: "Mr. Zheng is one of the most outstanding figures in China over the past three hundred years, his ideas are strange, his writing is strange, and his painting is even stranger."

  Zheng Banqiao's poetry, prose and painting are all excellent. He indulges in the emotions of mountains and rivers, often traveling with poets. His favorite subjects to paint are bamboo and rocks, which are vividly depicted with a sense of life. It can be said that his position in the history of painting and his influence on later generations are unparalleled.

  This bamboo and stone painting, from the inscription can be seen, should be a work of Zheng Banqiao given to his friend, dated Kangxi Renwu year May, which is 1762 lunar calendar May. At this time, it was his most mature artistic period, with bold and varied brushstrokes, the picture is sparse and elegant, with a profound and distant atmosphere, can be said to be the perfect combination of poetry, calligraphy, painting and seal carving.

  The names of several seals and collector's seals are those of famous people, from this point and the style of writing, it can almost be determined that this painting is a genuine work by Zheng Banqiao.

  Of course, whether it is painting or antique appraisal, there can be no room for even the slightest sloppiness. Therefore, a careful and meticulous appreciation of the painting techniques and the artistic conception expressed in them are necessary to confirm the characteristics of Zheng Banqiao's paintings one by one, only then can the authenticity of the painting itself be truly determined.

  Only in the painting, there are several clusters of bamboo standing in front of the rocks, as if they were born naturally, presenting a natural and interesting scene to everyone.

  The bamboo is arranged in a scattered yet dense manner, with the stalks being fine and dense, but revealing a strong and powerful force within. The leaves are drawn with hard brushstrokes, resembling the cursive script of Chinese calligraphy, while the stems are like the bold strokes of seal script, swaying gently to create a sense of life.

  According to Zheng Banqiao's self-titled "Mò zhú tú" (Ink Bamboo Picture), it is recorded: "Su Dongpo and Lu Zhi wrote books, not bamboo, but my paintings of bamboo often learned from them. Huang Shu's writing style was slender and elegant, I learned the slender leaves in my bamboo painting from him; Su Dongpo's writing style was short and stout, I learned the stout leaves in my bamboo painting from him." From this, it can be seen that his method of painting bamboo comes from calligraphy, which is particularly evident in this picture.

  Look again, the tall bamboo slender leaves fill the entire picture, with light ink and yellow body thin brush to deal with; The heaviest part of the leafy area is depicted with thick ink and Su-style fat brush, not only distinguishing it from the tall bamboo and rocks, but also adding weight to the picture, which can be described as "true spirit, true interest, true intention".

  After bamboo, let's look at stone. Zheng Banqiao's painting of stones mainly comes from Ni Zan's painting method, using simple and powerful lines to outline the shape without adding any shading; also uses axe-chopped texture with simple rubbing, and "stone does not have moss", which complements orchids and bamboo, adding elegance.

  Although the rocks in the painting are depicted with simple strokes, they give a sense of solidity. This can be summarized by one of his poems: "Only the green mountains are my home, the roots of the peaks and the cracks in the rocks are autumn sand. Because of this, I have obtained a strong character, and after experiencing the east wind, I am not lean."

  The momentum of the rock fully embodies the painter's own strong and unyielding character, that even when faced with great difficulties in his life, this spirit remained unchanged.

  The whole work's artistic conception is a reflection of the painter's own spirit, and can be described as:

  Bite down on Qing Shan and don't let go

  Lì gēn yuán zài pò yán zhōng

  A thousand grindings and ten thousand hammerings, yet still strong and resilient.

  Go with the wind east west south north.

  Therefore, from the overall work, it can be concluded that this bamboo and stone painting is a genuine work by Zheng Xie Zheng Banqiao. The painting's large size is equivalent to Zhang Shoulder's previous stone bamboo painting, which is extremely rare and can be said to be an invaluable treasure.

  "Good, it's indeed a masterpiece of Mr. Banqiao. Just looking at it gives me a sense of self-satisfaction and detachment from worldly power, which is truly admirable." Liu couldn't help but let out a sigh of admiration as he gazed at the entire piece.

  The other three people present also nodded in agreement after hearing this, and Wu Shu patted Chu Chen's shoulder excitedly and said:

  "Xiao Chen, you're in luck now!"

  Liu Lao heard this and shook his head, saying:

  "Zi Ping, I somewhat disagree with your view. If it weren't for Xiao Chu's keen eye, this painting wouldn't have ended up in his hands even if we talked about luck. Think about it, you were there too at the time, and if we're talking about opportunities, you had a better chance than Xiao Chu. But because your eyesight isn't as good as his, in the end, the one who got to take this painting home wasn't you, but him."

  Chu Chen heard this and hurriedly said: "This is indeed my luck, if I hadn't accidentally seen it, I wouldn't have paid attention to that place..."

  Before he could finish speaking, Wu Shu interrupted him:

  "Xiao Chen, Old Liu was right. Indeed, my eyesight is not as good as yours. The Yangtze River's rear waves push the front waves, and a new generation replaces the old one. You, Wu Shu, are also getting older. Watching you grow up is my greatest pleasure. Moreover, I couldn't have appreciated many rare antiques that I wouldn't have seen otherwise if it weren't for your sharp eyesight."

  "Uncle Wu, you..."

  Jian Chu Chen wanted to explain, but Liu Lao interrupted him and said:

  "Xiao Chu, Uncle Wu is right. Our generation will eventually grow old and at that time we can only rely on you to take over our roles. Xiao Chu, to be honest, among the young people I've seen so far, your talent in antiques is undoubtedly the best. With someone as excellent as you taking over our roles, I'm also very delighted."

  Chu Chen began to be humble again, and Liu Lao smiled: "However, if you can remain calm and composed, and continue to perform like this in the future, then maybe we can have a deeper exchange. It's just that your habit of being overly modest needs to change, young people should be more confident."

  When Chu Chen heard this, he suddenly thought of a possibility that he didn't dare to think about in his heart, and almost cheered with joy. With great difficulty, he suppressed his excitement and opened his mouth to say:

  "Liu Lao, I won't say anything else. From now on, I will definitely follow your teachings and be a down-to-earth person. I will not disappoint you."

  "Alright!"

  Liu Lao waved his hand and smiled, "Xiao Chu, don't be so serious. In our line of work, it's all about interest. Don't put too much pressure on yourself, or you'll end up with the opposite effect."

  Then he smiled and asked: "Little Chu, what are you going to do with this painting by Mr. Banqiao?"

  This bamboo and stone painting, in terms of the painter's brushwork and the artistic conception it conveys, is undoubtedly top-notch. Moreover, over the years, it has been cleverly hidden away, and as for its condition, there are no issues whatsoever; it looks like it's still in the state it was when the artist created it.

  This painting is a rare treasure in every aspect. For many collectors, even if they only collect one piece like this in their lifetime, it's already quite an accomplishment.

  So, in Chu Chen's heart, without mentioning his liking for the work itself, he also hopes to treasure it as his own. However, seeing Liu Lao's obvious fondness for the painting, he hesitates and is unsure of how to decide.

  After some deliberation, he spoke with a hint of hesitation and apology: "Liu Lao, I really like this piece in my heart, it's truly hard to part with."

  "Xiao Chuan..." Just now, Old Liu's intention was also understood by Wu Shu. Such a good opportunity should not be missed, so when he heard Chu Chuan's decision, he became somewhat anxious.

  However, Liu Lao interrupted him and laughed: "Xiao Chu's decision, I agree! At first, I was worried that you would give this piece of work to me again to please me, an old man. Although it would make me happy, your attitude towards collecting antiques would make me suspicious."

  "In this line of work, if one doesn't have a genuine love for antiques, then no matter how great their accomplishments are, at the end of the day they're just a businessman. To be honest, I wouldn't like someone like that."

  "Xiao Chu, from this decision, I can see that your attitude towards antiques has not let me down. You have a foundation of loving antiques, and with your own talent, I believe you will go further and further in the antique business."

  Chu Chenyuan had always been somewhat hesitant about his decision, fearing that Liu Lao would be unhappy. After hearing him out, he couldn't help but feel a mix of relief and lingering unease. He had never expected that this was actually a test by Liu Lao for him, and fortunately, he hadn't abandoned his original idea due to temporary gains or losses.

  Wu Shu heard this and also felt a bit embarrassed, he was indeed a bit worried.

  "Alright, I'll keep these two paintings of Xiao Chu's here and help you mount them." By this point, Liu Lao's exhaustion was evident. After all, he was getting on in years and had spent a lot of energy, so his physical strength couldn't quite keep up.

  Chu Chen was overjoyed upon hearing this, but after some thought, he asked: "Liu Lao, how is the cost of mounting calculated?"

  "Alright, can't an old man like me even afford this little bit of money? If you're willing, just leave the painting with me for a month and see how it goes?" Old Liu said with a wave of his hand and a smile.

  Chu Chen naturally agreed to this request and afterwards the two of them saw Liu Lao's tired look and bid farewell.

  After sending the two away, Liu Qiu returned and asked Liu Lao:

  "Dad, did you just mean to accept Xiao Chu as your disciple?"