hollywood billionaire

Chapter 289 Flower Girl Linda
"This is an extraordinary and legendary work, Mr. Glazer, there's no denying that. But..."

Sitting on the sofa in the private exhibition room, Han Yi exchanged glances with Antoine Gashe and spoke.

"It involves too many stakeholders, and the foreseeable risks and obstacles in the transaction process are not small problems that can be easily resolved. In particular, the thirty-month export ban will cause us a lot of trouble."

"Understood." Joshua Glazer nodded. Less than an hour's conversation had given him a deeper understanding of Han Yi's needs, "So you want to find a painting of the same quality, but not as good as Like "The Flag Bearer", a masterpiece of great historical significance to a country. This way, you can remain anonymous and low-key before and after the transaction is completed, and you can visit your mansions around the world with as little attention as possible. Transport back and forth freely.”

"That's pretty much what it means." Antoine Gachet answered on behalf of Han Yi, "It can be in London, Paris, New York, or anywhere in the world, as long as there is no Louvre or other organizations that care about it. Just leave it alone.”

The nature of collectibles is special. Whether in the UK or the United States, as long as antiques are sold, sellers need to pay capital gains tax on the profits they make.For example, suppose you purchased an antique dining table for $5000, and the related broker's commission was $300. After the acquisition, you spent another $1000 to restore and maintain the collection, then your base cost of purchasing the antique dining table is That's $6300.When you sell the desk for $7500, you need to report a profit of $1200 and pay profits tax on it.

The profit tax rate on antiques is 20% in the UK and 28% in the United States. It sounds high, but in fact antique owners have various ways to increase their basic costs, such as dividing various expenses every year Trying to find ways to declare the repair and maintenance costs of collectibles. For the top wealthy, there are many ways to exploit the system, and there are only unimaginable and impossible ways.

In France, sales of precious metals, jewelry, artworks, collectibles and other types of antiques overseas are subject to a flat tax rate of 6.5% that is proportional to the transfer price or duty-paid value.

This tax rate seems to be much lower than that of the United Kingdom and the United States, but it is not actually the case, because France collects taxes based on the overall transaction price.Take the painting "Flagbearer" as an example. If Han Yi bought it and shipped it back to the United States, the Rothschild family would have to pay $1137.5 million in taxes on it.If it were in the United States, the Rothschild family could first calculate the original purchase price when they bought the painting in 1840 in dollars adjusted for inflation, and then add the maintenance costs over the past 176 years to calculate the total. The basic cost that comes out must be considerable.Although the profits tax paid after deducting costs is more than four times higher than in France, the actual tax paid will undoubtedly be much lower than the former.

This is why Paris, as a city of art, has far lower activity and total transaction volume in the collectibles market than London and New York.

Wherever the tax policy is more relaxed, sellers will gather there.

In addition, if there is a competition between London and New York, the Empire State, located on the Hudson River, will have an extremely obvious advantage over the British Fog City with the Thames River passing through the city.In fact, more than three-quarters of the top 100 paintings in history were sold at Christie's or Sotheby's New York auction houses.

This situation occurs because of the difference in import tariffs between the two countries.In the UK, the tariff on imported art, collectibles and antiques is 5%, which is already the lowest in the EU compared to France's 5.5%, Italy's 10%, Germany's 19% and Portugal's 23%.But the United States is even more ruthless. Artworks that are less than 100 years old need to pay import tariffs ranging from 5.2% to 25%. Artworks that are more than 100 years old and have relevant evidence to prove their creation time will be classified by U.S. Customs. Item 9706 of the imported items in the Unified Tariff Schedule - Antiques.

As long as it is an antique, you do not need to pay even a penny of customs duties when entering the United States.

100% tax free, no exceptions.

More importantly, in 2016, the United States was the country with the most billionaires.There are 540 top richest people with a net worth of more than one billion US dollars, far ahead of the 2 people who are No. 251% of these 1% has been the main growth point in the art trading market in recent years, especially in the private sales field.

Therefore, after declining "Flag Bearer", Han Yi was surprised to find that almost all other paintings of the same level shown to him by Joshua Glazer on behalf of Christie's auction house were stored in the United States.

such as……

""Little Girl Holding a Basket of Flowers", created in 1905, is a representative work of Picasso's rose period. It is collected by David and Peggy Rockefeller and is sold by Christie's New York."

“Despite some early successes, by 1905 Pablo Picasso was still a struggling artist, eking out a living in a run-down house at 13 rue La Vignan in Montmartre. This work , which was completed in the studio on the top floor of the building called the 'cabin'."

“During this period, Picasso often watched performances at the Medrano Circus near the foot of Montmartre, and was inspired by the joy of clowns and acrobats. His artistic creation also transitioned from the bleak blue period to a more optimistic one. Rose period.”

"The subject of this painting is very clear - a young, naked girl. She looks like a flower seller, but she is secretly a child prostitute who was welcomed into the Moulin Rouge. The pink ribbon on the long dark hair, the bright red flowers in the brown and yellow basket, the twisted silhouette on the blue background, and the troubled and painful expression in the soft light all form a sharp contrast. Many people believe that this painting is a symbol of chastity and The juxtaposition between sensuality, innocence and corruption is the mark left by cruel reality on the innocent girl.”

"One of the owners of this painting, the American poet Gertrude Stein, said of it, 'a solid thing, a charming thing, a lovely thing, a puzzling thing, a disturbing thing. , a simple thing, a clear thing, a complex thing, an interesting thing'..."

“…the greatest artist of the [-]th century shows us in this painting the future of modern society and the themes he spent his entire life pondering – love, sex, beauty, tenderness and violence, and everything else that defines human nature. label. The eternal and charming goddess in the center of the picture, gazing at the universe, is the embodiment of human society."

While listening to Han Yi's narration, Xu Yiru opened the web page and carefully read Mark Porter, the chairman of Christie's USA, who wrote an insightful summary of "Little Girl Holding a Flower Basket".

"At first glance, I don't think there is anything special. I just feel that the soles of the feet are very big... But if you look back after reading the analysis..." Xu Yiru clicked on the big picture and looked at it carefully, "There is really a... It’s both charming and hurtful.”

"Gertrude Stein has the same idea as you." Han Yi said softly, counting Xiaoru's slightly trembling eyelashes on the screen.

"What do you think?" Xiaoru asked.

"I think the little girl in the painting has very big feet and strange body proportions." Han Yi replied, "When my brother Leo first bought this painting, Gertrude was actually very unhappy and felt that his brother was always messy. Spend money. It took her several years to understand what Picasso wanted to express... and after she understood it, she could never live without it. Later, when she and Leo parted ways, she let her brother take him away Cézanne himself insisted on keeping Picasso.”

"That's it." Xu Yi nodded thoughtfully, "It is indeed a very touching painting."

"It's very contagious." Han Yi responded, "So I would never consider buying it."

"You feel...too sad, don't you."

"Yes." Han Yi sighed, "What it represents makes me...very uncomfortable. The girl in the painting is not Picasso's artistic fantasy, but a real person who existed in the early twentieth century. She Called Linda. In 1905, Picasso was unknown and impoverished, living a bohemian and humble life in Montmartre. Linda was one of the few entertainment activities he could afford."

"The Third Republic was the golden age of brothels. Starting in 1870, the despicable business that everyone once avoided became a part of social life. The national tax authorities were even able to extract 50%-60% from this transaction. Profits. I was just looking at information on this. Did you know, Xiaoru, that between 1871 and 1903, 15.5 women were officially registered as prostitutes, and there were also... 72.5 women who were involved in illegal prostitution. and be punished.”

"This amount is... too exaggerated."

"The most exaggerated thing is not the number of women engaged in this industry, but the unfair treatment they receive. At that time, prostitutes were second-class citizens of French society, at the mercy of corrupt police. The Paris police could not only control the officially established Brothels can also dispose of homeless people on the streets at will. Girls who make a living on the streets not only have to pay tribute to the police on time and in fixed quotas, but they also have to be wary of exploitation by gangs and perverted covetousness at all times... And Linda is one of these homeless people. Among the warblers, they are the weakest."

"She is too young to work in an official brothel and register legally. She may also be introverted and timid, and she doesn't know how to protect herself. If she just wears revealing clothes and stands on the street, it is estimated that she will be arrested by the police in a few nights. I'm done with the gangsters."

"So, she could only use her identity as a flower girl as a cover, hanging around the Moulin Rouge, waiting for men with ill intentions to approach her. She only needed to buy a few roses from Linda, and she would follow the man in In the dark alleys, let them do whatever they want to satisfy their... false and dark desires for conquest."

"You have seen this painting. The Linda in the painting... is only fourteen or fifteen years old at best. No matter what reason she chose to embark on this path, whether her family is poor or her relatives are sick and need to raise money. , or just simply want to fill their stomachs. No matter what the reason is, the tragic existence of Linda is the dirtiest dark side of human history."

"As a species, we are unable to protect the weaker ones, but instead feed on their flesh and blood. This is a sin in itself." When talking about this topic, Han Yi's tone was hoarse, and Xu Yiru's expression was also quite solemn.

"Yes, this is a kind of sin. Perhaps we should thank Picasso for recording this kind of sin exactly as it is, so that we can see it and criticize it. But..."

Speaking of this, Han Yi paused for a long time, seeming to be looking for suitable, less intense words. "But think about the background of this painting. What is its most real background? Where and under what circumstances did Picasso meet her and glimpse her body, which inspired him to paint? "

After spending another day in a haze, the 24-year-old Picasso put his hands in his pockets, closed his coat tightly, and walked aimlessly through the bright neon lights of the Pigalle red light district.

There is no clue about the new work, the rent has to be paid next week, damn Fernand Olivier was flirting with the little skinny guy in the bakery downstairs again today, and in a rage, Picasso locked his bohemian girlfriend in the apartment, and he Walk away.

You have to do something to get back at her.

Picasso thought.

Sir, do you want to buy flowers?
A crisp, tender, almost inaudible child's voice attracted his attention. Picasso took a closer look and saw a thinly dressed little girl shivering in the cold wind, holding a basket of flowers.

Revenge came.

This is the best revenge he can afford right now.

How to sell flowers?He stopped and asked.

Three roses can...make flowers bloom in that corner.

The little girl pointed to the dim alley next to the Moulin Rouge.

Ten roses... to keep flowers blooming in your apartment all night.

Let’s buy three flowers first.Picasso thought for a moment and responded, after all, Fernand was still locked in his home.

Yes sir, your flowers.

Taking a brass coin with a Gallic rooster on it, the little girl carefully counted three flowers from the flower basket and handed them to Picasso, as if she was really in the business of selling flowers.

Please come with me.

The girl hugged the flower basket to her chest again. In order to keep out the cold and avoid being stolen, she breathed out a breath of white air that lacked heat and vitality, leading Picasso into the darkness.

Behind the two of them was a rose lying in the mud, which had been trampled to pieces by passers-by.

"He saw Linda's body, and suddenly he was inspired. Maybe it was out of desire, maybe out of pity, no one knows, but he just had the inspiration to create. So he asked Linda to be his model. Let him record her youth."

"Why do you do this? I don't want to speculate maliciously. I want to believe that Picasso painted Linda to expose some ugly and bloody realities. However, there are some facts that cannot be ignored - you know, Xiao Ru , during the introduction, Joshua told me that the girl in the oil painting, Linda the Flower Girl, had also been painted by Van Dongen and Modigliani.”

"Fan Donggen and Modigliani..." Xu Yiru asked hesitantly, "What do you mean..."

"Both Van Dongen and Modigliani knew Picasso. Van Dongen was Picasso's colleague in the washing ship, and Modigliani met Picasso after moving to Paris in 1906."

"Why do they know Linda? Montmartre is so big, it can't be a chance encounter, right?"

"Can you imagine how Picasso introduced Linda to his two artist friends?"

"She's a good model, and a good fuck, you should try her too."

Han Yi's vulgar imitation made Xu Yiru fall into silence.She wanted to refute, but sadly realized that maybe what Han Yi said was reality.

"When Joshua mentioned Van Dongen and Modigliani to me, my reaction was similar to yours, Xiao Ru... I didn't know how to respond to him, nor what kind of mood I should use to... appreciate it. this painting."

"When I see this painting now, I think of the big studio era of Hollywood, Louis Meyer and Judy Garland."

"What is the difference between what Picasso and Linda did and what Louis and Judy did? One painted "Little Girl Holding a Flower Basket" and the other filmed "The Wizard of Oz". They are both treasures in their respective artistic fields, but Picasso and Linda The transactions between Da and Da were just more explicit and direct."

"I don't think anyone who knows anything about the background of the painting... would want to spend $1.5 million to collect it. At least that's what I think. No, I'm not the only one who hates it. This painting The painting hung in David Rockefeller's office, with his back to the door and his desk, because Peggy Rockefeller disliked the painting and didn't want to look at it."

"I very much agree with Peggy's attitude. Maybe it is unique in art, but collectors should not encourage this kind of excessive depiction and exploitation of women and sexual violence." Xu Yiru read the Vanity Fair article at a glance on the computer. Analysis of the life of Peggy Rockefeller, who died in 1996, "Even if the creator is Picasso."

"Yes." Han Yi nodded, "I... don't mind collecting female portraits or body art, but not such twisted and dark things. Even if I buy it, I don't know where to put it. Normally. I definitely don’t want to see it. If I look at it twice and think of Linda’s story, my good mood for the day may be ruined.”

"Then what kind of female portrait do you think is worth collecting?" Xu Yiru held her chin in her hands and asked enthusiastically, "What kind of female portrait... is the one that will make you feel better and you want to see it every day? Woolen cloth?"

“The kind that allows women to shine with elegance and confidence…the kind that comes with unreserved love, commitment and focus.”

Han Yi's answer was without any hesitation.

“The one I finally settled on was this portrait of a woman.”

"The one by Gustav Klimt."

"Portrait of Adele Bloch-Bauer..."

"Number two."

(End of this chapter)