Almighty painter

Chapter 965 Cao Xuan's Question
"Should art transcend merely imitating things that are simply visible to the naked eye, and instead strive to trace back to its origins and restore the texture conceived by the painter in their mind?"

The curtains were drawn halfway in the small classroom.

Cao Xuan sat on the sofa, his white sideburns neatly combed. Amidst the shimmering dust in the air, he did not appear old, but rather possessed a fairytale-like quality.

The projector on the wall displays a South African-style painting, which, judging from the scene, is likely a rock painting depicting hunting and sacrificial scenes.

"This is one of the main differences in aesthetic theory between the Platonists and Neoplatonists. Plotinus, the leader of the Neoplatonists, believed that beauty is an inner harmony originating from the core of the soul. Compared to Plato, his doctrine was influenced to some extent by Eastern mysticism. Plotinus proposed the famous theory of 'The One,' that all things are born from the One, and will..."

A new semester.

Cao Xuan changed his teaching method again. His classes were not in the "traditional" style of Eastern private schools, and it was difficult to classify them into any specific subject.

It is neither a traditional Chinese painting nor a sketch, and it is difficult to classify it within the scope of art history.

This week after school started.

Their courses have no textbooks and no boundaries. One moment they might be discussing Su Dongpo's theories of literati painting, and the next, the topic is swung to distant Egypt, then Plato and Aristotle pop up again, and for the next fifteen minutes, they've traversed nearly two thousand years of history, watching Picasso drive by in a convertible with a girl in the south of France, "Dudu, Dudu, Dudu."

The Cubist abstract work "Les Demoiselles d'Avignon" flashed across the screen.

The next painter to be discussed was Xia Gui from the Ming Dynasty. Cao Xuan even added a few AI works that he found quite interesting between lessons.

Such classes can easily leave people feeling dizzy and confused, ultimately causing them to lose their way amidst an overwhelming flood of information.

Gu Weijing found it less difficult to handle than he had imagined.

Because of the foundation laid in the previous two semesters.

Because the teacher is right beside you.

Gu Weijing is a goldfish. For the past two semesters, he has been swimming among hundreds and thousands of names in that book, "A Record of Famous Paintings Through the Ages".

Now, Cao Xuan picked up the "fish tank" and poured it into the lake.

The current began to become rapid.

Before Gu Weijing unfolded a vast network of underground water veins.

Countless categories, countless theories, countless branches. Artists are like fish swimming in this vast network of veins. Folk painting, literati painting, court painting, religious painting, meticulous brushwork, freehand brushwork, boneless painting…

One cave connects to another, one network of waterways connects to another, one air pocket connects to another, and the world, from the vast heavens and the universe to the smallest plants and grains of sand, can all be contained in a single drop of water.

Gu Weijing dived deeper and deeper into the pool.

People say that cave diving is the most dangerous sport in the world. Flashlight failure, carbon dioxide poisoning, oxygen intoxication, nitrogen intoxication, underwater collapses caused by exhaled bubbles... Any underwater accident, even just kicking your fins a few more times while swimming, taking a few extra breaths while admiring the surrounding scenery, or a sudden undercurrent.

They might get lost in the cave and not be able to find their way up.

Gu Weijing did not have such concerns.

The teacher is like a guiding rope and a beacon.

When he felt dizzy, Cao Xuan pulled him aside and led him to a new world. What seemed like being swept away by the current and rushed towards a wall, and actually crashing into it, turned out to be a narrow path leading to a hidden paradise.

The deeper you dive.

Gu Weijing then realized that the water system was vast and profound, and what he had seen was ultimately only a small part of it.

For example, how did traditional Chinese painting influence Japanese painting, and how did Asian art influence the development of Impressionism? For instance, how did Gandhara art spread in Central Asia?

For example, how artists throughout history have explored this water system.

"This reminds me of Dong Qichang."

Cao Xuan said.

"Regarding painting, Dong Qichang also put forward a theory—"

"In terms of the strangeness of the scenery, painting is inferior to landscape; in terms of the exquisiteness of brush and ink, landscape is definitely inferior to painting."

"This statement, in a sense, coincides with the views of the Neoplatonists. What is art? Is art, whether intentionally or passively, copying nature? Or is it pursuing something deeper?"

Is it that paintings are inferior to landscapes, or that landscapes are inferior to paintings?

Cao Xuan inquired.

"The difference here is what Dong Qichang called subtlety, or what Pronos sought to pursue as 'ideal beauty'," Gu Weijing replied.

There are some differences between the two.

Cao Xuan said.

"But what you need to pay most attention to is the existence of this kind of thinking. Since the birth of painting, people have been trying to think in this way."

"What we are seeing on our screen now is a set of rock paintings by the Saen people."

The old man said.

"The Saen people lived on the southern highlands of Africa, roughly in what is now Botswana. In the 19th century, the arrival of white colonists led to the regional extinction of the Saen people. Today, we can find some ancient Saen artworks in the mountains of South Africa and other places."

“This mural is about 4000 years old.”

Gu Weijing looked at the projection screen.

After all, it is a work from more than four thousand years ago. The walls are covered with very simple geometric shapes, which can be seen to be from a chase of deer and wild boar.

Looking at these ancient paintings from today's perspective, one can't help but feel that the images are relatively rough and lack detail, typical of early human hunting rock paintings.

"This work is very, very simple."

Cao Xuan said.

"But at the moment a work is put on paper, beyond the simple imitation of what the naked eye sees, does it also contain a spiritual pursuit?"

"How should we understand this kind of spiritual pursuit? What are the problems with Plotinus's views?"

Cao Xuan said.

What exactly is beauty?

"This is a thought-provoking question I've assigned to you for this lesson."

The old man stood up, slowly walked over, and turned off the computer.

Gu Weijing took out the notebook next to him and hurriedly wrote down the homework on the pages.

What exactly is beauty?

What exactly is the spirit?

"For the sake of scriptures."

"This is not homework."

The old man closed his notebook and said casually.

Gu Weijing raised his head.

"I heard about the question Samuel asked you in your watercolor class before. That question and answer by Wittgenstein," the old man mentioned.

"You've heard?"

Gu Weijing was very surprised.

Cao Xuan didn't seem very surprised: "This isn't the first time Samuel has asked similar questions in class; he likes to do that."

"I thought that the Bible would ask me the same question in today's class."

The old man's tone was somewhat amused.

Do you have an answer?

"Have."

Cao Xuan nodded: "But that was my own answer."

"Don't tell you."

The old man blinked.

Only after becoming Cao Xuan's disciple did I realize that, apart from his strictness, the old master had such an adorable side in his daily life.

"I also don't recommend that you ask Miss Elena."

"42."

Cao Xuan said, "Remember?"

A classic passage from *The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy*, which Miss Elena once told to everyone at an art convention—

What is the ultimate answer to the question of the universe?

"42."

The old man supported himself on the table with both hands, looking at the student in front of him.

“Sometimes, a good question is more important than a good answer. That’s what Miss Elena said. So I would say that good thinking is more important than a good answer.”

"Not every question will have an answer for you."

"But as long as you continue on the path of art, you must learn to think for yourself. As long as you can think, you will be able to move forward."

"So... I won't tell you the answer, I'll only give you one question."

What exactly is the spirit of art?

Cao Xuan smiled.

The old man unfolded the Xuan paper beside him and looked at the homework that Gu Weijing had handed in from the previous class. It was still a whole book of Ouyang Xun's inscriptions that he had copied during this period.

Cao Xuan had already looked at Gu Weijing's homework during the first class of the semester.

The old man had only glanced at it casually.

then.

He stopped again and carefully read the entire article from beginning to end, word by word.

Cao Xuan did not comment on Gu Weijing's calligraphy at that time. Instead, he changed the course plan for the academic year from that day onwards, and instead of continuing to study one artist after another in "A Record of Famous Paintings Through the Ages", he switched to the current content.

In class today.

Cao Xuan took Gu Weijing's homework back, but this time it was bound from beginning to end.

"This is?"

Gu Weijing noticed what the teacher was holding.

It's just homework or practice.

They usually don't keep things very carefully; they just take a stack of Xuan paper directly. But now, in Cao Xuan's hands, it has become a thread-bound book.

"I think it's worth keeping."

Cao Xuan said.

"As for the characters themselves, there are still many problems. It is far from fully capturing the essence of Ouyang Xun's calligraphy. However... it is still a good piece of calligraphy."

"I think it's worth encouraging."

……

As Yang Dekang rubbed his hands together and slipped into the classroom, Cao Xuan was still sitting next to the podium.

Old Yang just ran into Gu Weijing at the exit of the teaching building.

Gu Weijing greeted Brother Yang.

Old Yang nodded at him, then twisted his neck high to one side, like a husky having a big, oily bone snatched away by a dog.

Over the past year or so.

Every time Yang Dekang greeted Gu Weijing and Lao Yang, he had this conflicted look on his face.

"Leave me alone."

"injured."

"Why are you calling me Brother Yang? All you know is Miss Elena."

"Hum hum."

"Waaah, woof woof woof."

To be honest, this is Yang Dekang, after all. Given how greasy Old Yang is, he usually wouldn't show such an obvious attitude.

Gu Weijing has now become Cao Xuan's personal disciple.

Even if there's nothing between Lao Yang and Gu Weijing, and even if Yang Dekang really looked down on Gu Weijing from the bottom of his heart, if he wanted to greet him with a smile, he could make sure that a young man like Gu Weijing wouldn't notice anything amiss.

I was sold out by Brother Yang, and I'm still counting the money for him.

Moreover, his agent is Miss Elena.

Wouldn't that mean licking him twice as hard? — Hmph, Teacher Yang isn't that kind of man. He's not like that at all. He clearly conveys his indifference.

but.

Then again.

The fact that the other person could keep Yang Dekang, such a greasy middle-aged man, in this state of "wrong, wrong, wrong, your heart is as hard as iron, your feelings are as sharp as a sword" even after a whole year has passed, suggests that... it can indeed be said that this is... "true love".

he thinks.

The pain you suffer is like wanting to confess to your first love, your white moonlight, you've already bought the ring, you rush over with flowers, and then you find yourself being NTR'd right in front of you.

Who knows the bitterness in Brother Yang's heart?

His contracted painter, his dear Gu, how could he just be so cool and get kidnapped like that!

"The old man was here first."

While Teacher Yang was waiting in the parking lot to deliver the art supplies, that so-and-so was probably thousands of kilometers away, criticizing someone.

That's just so unreasonable.

Old Yang is a man of principle. He doesn't just steam buns; he also has to maintain his composure. There are some things he simply cannot lower his head about.

"Brother Yang, you can't just buy it whenever you want!"

Even without the 918, his 718 runs quite well.

"Grandpa, shall we go?"

Yang Dekang leaned closer and looked at the nose.

"Shall we go back?"

Cao Xuan didn't speak or answer, and Yang Dekang craned his neck to look.

"Its water is as clear as a mirror and its taste as sweet as wine. It flows south to the right of Danxiao, east past Shuangque, through Qing Suo, and around Zifang. Its clear waves wash away impurities and can guide and nourish one's nature and purify one's mind."

Yang Dekang read two lines casually and recognized them at a glance.

“Oh, this is that guy, Ouyang Xun’s stele.” He chimed in from the side, “The Jiucheng Palace Stele.”

Cao Xuan nodded.

"What do you think?"

Do you want to see it? How can I see it?
"It's quite well written," Old Yang said tentatively, not quite understanding why.

“Last month, in the last class before the summer vacation, I wrote the character ‘quiet’ for Gu Xiaozi.”

Cao Xuan flipped through the booklet, feeling deeply moved.

"This is the first assignment Gu Weijing handed in at the beginning of this semester." Cao Xuan chuckled. "The handwriting isn't great, but it's really good, truly good."

Cao Xuan rarely used the word "good" three times in a row.

"It was indeed a bit beyond my expectations."

"At his age, having won an award and acquired so many resources, some are proud, some are apprehensive, but the word 'calm' is the hardest to find."

The old man thought about it.

"How about this."

"Yang Dekang, send this calligraphy to Xiao Ning."

(End of this chapter)