Almighty painter

Chapter 1036 The Path to Mastery
"Who can say which is more terrifying, a withered soul or an empty skeleton?"

— Honoré de Balzac, *The Human Comedy: Old Goriot*
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Gu Laotou's work is a simple still life portrait, which looks like a sketching exercise in a park in London. The overall composition is somewhat similar to Van Gogh's "Sunflowers".

The picture frame contains a vase, and inside the vase is a rose still glistening with fresh dew. The vase is painted in vibrant colors, which might evoke a hazy dream in those who appreciate Impressionism. It's the kind of feeling one gets when reciting Keats's "Serge" aloud in the bright spring sunshine.

This is the greatest ode in the poet's life, telling of a belated passion. A handsome, passionate, and melancholic poet seeks a forgotten deity, submerged by time, who represents "beauty and soul."

He begins with a heartfelt description: "Unseen grasses, sheltered by flowers... blue flowers, silver flowers, purple flowers... buds about to bloom!"

Upon closer inspection, there are indeed faint inscriptions on the vase.

The handwriting is faded and mottled.

When Gu Weijing first obtained this painting, he studied it carefully and could only vaguely make out a few scattered characters and words such as "Qilimanzaro" and "leopard".

[Title: A Gift from a Friend]

[Sketching Techniques: Lv.5 Professional Painter - Tier 2 (4239/10000)]

Watercolor Techniques: Lv.5 Professional Painter, Level 2 (7136/10000)

[Emotion: Feeling something (Complete)]

Gu Weijing had already used the art of calligraphy and painting authentication a few days earlier.

With the improvement of his own brushwork and appreciation skills, frankly speaking, when faced with works of this level, the difference between whether Gu Weijing uses calligraphy and painting appraisal techniques or not is no longer significant.

The system's skills can break down a painting in greater detail, clearly displaying every brushstroke. Even with this clear "surface" brushstroke layer, Gu Weijing can still discern the general picture after examining it for a while.

Gu Weijing's surprise and joy stemmed mostly from the speed at which his grandfather, Gu Tongxiang, was improving his painting skills, as well as his grandfather's diligent and resolute character.

The emotional rating of "Feelings Deeply (Complete)" is also a major highlight.

Besides.

The brushstrokes, lighting, and composition are not particularly outstanding.

That's not entirely accurate.

It's not that the painting is bad; Gu Weijing could actually vaguely see a kind of "energy" hidden in it.

Gu Weijing felt that some watercolor paintings were beautifully and exquisitely decorated, but lacked the characteristics to truly capture people's attention.

It's like a vase.

The vase is brightly colored on the outside, but the inside is completely empty. It is an empty vase, or the roses inside have long since withered and died.

That would make it somewhat boring.

This painting, however, is complete.

It not only has external brushstrokes, but also a strong internal "spiritual attribute".

The rating of "[Feelings Deeply (Perfect)]" has already proven this point.

Gu Weijing could sense this vague feeling at the macro level, but he wanted to combine this vague feeling with the brushstrokes on the painting, and wanted to dissect this mysterious feeling as if he were disassembling the brushstrokes.

He can't do it yet.

Emotions are inherently a very private matter.

Even though they are relatives, grandfather and grandson, Gu Tongxiang has his own emotions and life, and Gu Weijing has his own emotions and life.

Gu Tongxiang could teach, but he couldn't arrange Gu Weijing's life.

vice versa.

The exchange of emotions stems from a sense of resonance and connection.

Gu Weijing told the coffee shop owner that good form and good work are not entirely equivalent. Some works may have many flaws, but they are still exquisite works.

Today, Gu Weijing can easily surpass Gu Tongxiang in brushwork, stroke technique, and the creation of light and shadow and form, seeing right through the old man. But in terms of his feelings towards life and his life experiences, he cannot do the same.

"The more you learn, the more you see."

A thought struck him.

Gu Weijing casually cast another calligraphy and painting appraisal spell on the canvas. Gu Tongxiang's watercolor painting silently exploded, turning into a mist of vibrant colors that flowed into the virtual light screen in front of Gu Weijing.

[Title: A Gift from a Friend]

[Sketching Techniques: Lv.5 Professional Painter - Tier 2 (4239/10000)]

Watercolor Techniques: Lv.5 Professional Painter, Level 2 (7136/10000)

[Emotion: Feeling something (Complete)]

Various data about Gu Tongxiang's works appeared on the light screen.

The brushstrokes were still the same, the colors were still the same, the second-level professional skill was still the same, and the feelings in one's heart were still the same. None of them changed because Gu Weijing used the calligraphy and painting appraisal technique again or because the quality of the calligraphy and painting appraisal technique improved.

The art of calligraphy and painting authentication is not a special effect filter applied to the painting. No matter how many times it is used, the painting itself remains the original painting.

However, the art of calligraphy and painting authentication is a great magnifying glass, and also a great catalyst.

The mountain is still a mountain.

Water is still water.

The viewer progresses from seeing mountains as mountains and water as water to seeing mountains as not mountains and water as no longer water.

The scattered light and shadows reassembled into a complete painting.

It is more than just a painting.

It is also a complete piece of light and shadow, a complete slice of time, or even a complete world.

Painting absorbed Gu Weijing into the world it contained.

The same painting, when combined with Gu Weijing's own life experience and his understanding of his grandfather Gu Tongxiang, suddenly gained an unprecedented level of fine detail.

Gu Weijing seemed to see an old man with a slightly bald forehead standing under the shade of the trees in the park.

There was a drawing board behind the old man.

His face was plain and cold, but his movements were exceptionally gentle. He was squatting down, picking up a bunch of roses that someone had thrown on the ground, and putting them into a vase on the picnic table in front of him.

What a fine man!
What a beautiful scene of a heart brimming with fierce energy yet gently sniffing out a rose.

After doing all this, the old man put his hands behind his back and gazed at the vase in front of him, like Wang Yangming contemplating bamboo, trying to solve a difficult philosophical question. Or like Caesar facing the Rubicon River, surging like the sea, confronting the most important choice in his life.

It seemed to be more than just a small vase given by a friend; it was a die that determined fate, a high-stakes gamble leading to the pinnacle of personal power, and a dragon robe draped over Zhao Kuangyin by his subordinates.

Before making life's choices, on the road leading to the summit of destiny.

You want war.

Should we still cancel?

The old man's forehead was mostly bald, but two tufts of hair still stood stubbornly upright, as if hinting at his indomitable fighting spirit and indomitable ambition.

He shook his head slightly.

It seemed to be a soft, murmuring whisper.

Does this mean... we should back down?
Just then, the old man squinted, as if he saw the inscription on the vase, and he muttered something incomprehensible to himself: "Qilimanzaro... Leopard..."

Qilimajaro, Leopard, and his own grandfather Gu Tongxiang.

In that instant, Gu Weijing was enlightened. The art of calligraphy and painting authentication served as a channel and bridge for him to establish a spiritual connection with the artwork; the more you understand it, the more you will see.

The Little Prince is still the same Little Prince.

With the help of calligraphy and painting appraisal techniques, Gu Weijing connected the insights he gained from repeatedly reading "The Little Prince," listening to Mr. Sloth recite "The Little Prince" to him, and the illustrations he drew.

For an instant.

His understanding of "The Little Prince" reached an unprecedented depth, and he saw things he had never seen before.

The watercolor painting, titled "A Gift from a Friend," is still the same painting, but Gu Weijing has pieced together his understanding of his grandfather, Gu Tongxiang.

For an instant.

Memories of his school days flooded Gu Weijing's mind, and he suddenly guessed what the small inscription on the vase was and what his grandfather was softly reciting.

Kilimanjaro is a snow-capped mountain that stands at 19710 feet, and is said to be the highest mountain on the entire African continent.

Its western peak is called 'Engachi-Engai' by the local Masayi people, meaning the Temple of God.

Nestled among the pristine snow between the peaks of the western summit lies the dried, frozen carcass of a leopard. How did a leopard manage to reach such a high place, and what was it searching for?

No one has ever offered an explanation.

Gu Weijing softly recited the words, following his grandfather's tone.

"This is the opening of Hemingway's short story 'Kilimanjaro'."

He looked at Gu Tongxiang and suddenly burst into laughter. He turned around, picked up his easel, and began to paint with great gusto.

The intense masculine passion surging within him flowed through the old man's brushstrokes onto the canvas.

This should be the origin of the "energy" that Gu Weijing felt in the works.

It has aged.

Yet it still carries the passionate will of a youth.

Like the leopard frozen in time atop Mount Kilimanjaro.

……

After withdrawing from the art of calligraphy and painting appraisal, Gu Weijing still sat in his studio at night, staring at the things on the table for a long time without saying a word.

Two picture frames were placed on the table.

On the left is the self-portrait sent from Cape Verde, and on the right is Gu Tongxiang's gift from a friend. The two portraits stand in front of Gu Weijing like two old door gods, and are also pasted on Gu Weijing's heart.

Like a lion.

Like tigers and leopards.

To drive away the weakness in his heart.

It goes without saying that "Self-Portrait" is such a wonderful work.

"A Gift from a Friend," painted by Mr. Gu himself and sent to his grandson, is also a unique work with its own strong spiritual attributes.

The old man is still tirelessly searching for his own path to becoming a master.

Gu Weijing didn't know how high a place his grandfather Gu Tongxiang wanted to go, nor did he know what his grandfather Gu Tongxiang was looking for.

But it's really tough.

Mr. Sloth named his collection of illustrations "World Zoo," but in fact, his grandfather, Gu Tongxiang, was more qualified to create such works than he was.

Because... that noisy, turbulent, beastly heart.

The old man is dreaming of lions.

The old man is dreaming of a leopard.

The old man is dreaming of a bull.

The old man's chest was practically a zoo! Gu Weijing turned on his computer and opened his corporate work email, which had the "Mash Gallery" suffix—

"[email protected]"

He began writing a long letter to Mr. Sloth.
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Yang Dekang walked into the room, happily carrying a large express delivery package in his arms.

He placed the package on the table, pulled out a long, thin folding knife—the kind favored by 1960s mafia members—from the drawer, struck a few cool poses reminiscent of a gangster movie, and felt that his domineering aura had increased a little more today.

Then I started unpacking the packages.

As he unpacked the package, he took his phone out of his pocket.

"I received the gift, I received it. I'm unpacking it now!" He clicked send, then took a selfie with his phone and sent it to the contact on the other end of the line.

at this time.

Yang Dekang noticed a new notification in the message bar.

The podcast you've been following, "Mr. Sloth's Art Salon," has just released a new episode...

"Oh!"

Yang Dekang's finger twitched, and he involuntarily clicked on it. From the day Old Yang's keen nose sniffed out some incredible truth...

【Mr. Sloth's Art Salon】has become one of the only two podcasts he pays special attention to. Recently, his listening time has surpassed that of 【The Bird Pet Care Guide】 and 【The Stylish Man's Private Wardrobe】, and even surpassed that of another podcast he pays special attention to, the official podcast of the magazine "Oil Painting".

I will be notified immediately after each episode is released.

This is called sniffing out market trends.

This doesn't qualify as firsthand information. What does firsthand information even mean? Compared to this, even the official podcast of "Oil Painting" falls short.

Yang Dekang tapped his little finger, and the software redirected, displaying details about this podcast episode.

[Mr. Sloth's Art Salon No. 256: A Conversation with Rising Star Gu Weijing – How to Make Your Work Less Boring?]

Yang Dekang stared at the content on the screen, puffing out his cheeks.

Slowly, slowly.

Exhaled a breath.

"Ah."

Old Yang grinned, "You're pretty good at this! You've got some fancy tricks up your sleeve."

After Yang Dekang finished making his comments, he put on an earphone, pressed the play button, and continued to use the knife to open the package. The box was opened, revealing a birdcage made of gold wire.

"Have a heart."

Yang Dekang nodded, moved.

He flicked the wires on the birdcage with his finger, making a soft "whoosh" sound.

"So authentic!"

Yang Dekang smacked his lips, the sound of a podcast already coming through his earphones.

"Welcome to this episode of Mr. Sloth's Art Salon. In this episode, I am honored to have Mr. Gu Weijing, who has recently been at the center of public opinion, as our guest—"

(End of this chapter)