Chapter 44 Adds a Little Confidence

Wang Qizhi stared at Lin Sicheng, somewhat incredulous.

"Cloisonné is classified as a miscellaneous item, but strictly speaking, it is also a type of bronze ware!"

"Professor Wang, I know!"

"What I mean is: Professor Lin has also done this research?"

Lin Sicheng paused for a moment: This time, we can't let Grandpa take the blame again, or we'll be exposed in no time.

He thought for a moment: "I learned it from a book."

Not again?

Wang Qizhi sighed: "Lin Sicheng, do you dare to talk any more nonsense?"

"Professor Wang, really!"

Lin Sicheng spoke with utmost seriousness, “Professor Zhu Jiajin of the Palace Museum’s ‘A Study of Ming and Qing Dynasty Court Enamelware,’ Beijing Enamel Factory and the National Arts and Crafts Association’s ‘Eight Unique Skills of Beijing: Cloisonné,’ and Professor Zhang Tonglu, a Chinese Arts and Crafts Master,’s ‘The Art of Chinese Cloisonné…”

Before he could finish speaking, Wang Qizhi abruptly waved his hand: "Stop!"

What's the point of a few books on art appraisal theories related to cloisonné?

Lin Sicheng pointed out every single detail in the paper on ironware protection that was published just last year.

But as I said before: if one could reach Lin Sicheng's level simply by reading a few books, then every college student who has studied appraisal, cultural heritage preservation, or archaeology could become an expert in appraisal and cultural heritage preservation.

They don't need teachers to teach them.

But the problem is that Lin Sicheng's skill level is really high: if, as his elder brother and An Ning said, he could only barely see the two fish at the bottom of the basin at the time, he might not have noticed them either.

Therefore, if it weren't for what he learned from books, Wang Qizhi really wouldn't be able to come up with any other reason for Lin Sicheng.

After thinking for a moment, Wang Qizhi suddenly sighed: "What about the Draft History of the Qing Dynasty and the Qing Palace Archives?"

Lin Sicheng blurted out, "I read it in the school library and memorized it for a long time!"

Wang Qizhi opened his mouth, wanting to curse: Who the hell carries this?

Can you carry it on your back?

Forget it, he's a tough nut to crack; he can cover up a lie faster than he can make one up.

"Why weren't you there when they were selling the pots?"

"If you get bitten by a dog, shouldn't you go to the vet for a checkup first?"

Wang Qizhi's eyelids twitched: "Where did it bite?"

"So close! It only bit off half of the pant leg!"

He breathed a sigh of relief and then pointed to the sunflower-shaped plate:

"Alright, I won't ask about anything else, but since you sold these items, you have to take full responsibility. My request isn't high: please ask Professor Lin to help repair the glaze on these two fish..."

It would be best to use traditional methods for glazing, filling, and enameling... I'll find whatever materials you need, Professor Lin, just name your repair costs..."

“The requirements are indeed not high!” Lin Sicheng nodded, glancing at it a few times, “but Grandpa doesn’t need to get involved, I can… you don’t even need to pay for the repairs.”

What is that?

Lin Sicheng, is this a question of whether or not to pay money?

Wang Qizhi's eyes widened: "Did you hear what I said clearly?"

"Listen carefully: traditional glaze mixing, traditional glaze filling, traditional enameling... In simpler terms: minimal intervention, restoring the original form of the object as much as possible, while preserving as much of the original historical traces as possible..."

Lin Sicheng said with a serious expression, "Professor Wang, I'm not lying to you, I really can!"

Nonsense, anyone can talk the talk.

Wang Qizhi did not doubt Lin Sicheng's appreciation skills, but when it came to restoration... this was not a matter of intelligence, ease of learning, or whether he had followed Professor Lin into the laboratory several times and witnessed Professor Lin's restorations several times.

You have to do it yourself, practice again and again, correct your mistakes, and accumulate experience day by day...

It's no exaggeration to say that without more than ten or twenty years of restoration experience, who would dare to say they make a living in this field?

Wang Qizhi squinted and said, "Lin Sicheng, this is an ancient method of enamel painting: it requires layering the glaze, firing it in layers, and repeatedly testing the glaze ratio and firing temperature."

Moreover, the composition, oxidation level, and color change range of the glaze for each layer of blue are different. Only after the previous layer is successfully fired can the glaze ratio for the next layer be adjusted.

The most crucial point is that you don't know the optimal furnace temperature for each operation, yet you must achieve precise temperature control of the kiln.

Isn't that contradictory?

To put it bluntly: due to its age and unknown origin, it is impossible to speculate on the environments the original artifact went through or the corrosion and oxidation processes it underwent.

Therefore, it is difficult to predict the kiln temperature range during each firing of the original piece. Consequently, it is also difficult to determine the appropriate kiln temperature for restoration to ensure that the various components in the new glaze react fully, achieving the texture and saturation of the original glaze. Furthermore, excessively high kiln temperatures must be avoided to prevent cracking of the original glaze.

The key issue is that there's no good solution; we can only rely on the restorer's experience to improvise.

Another question arises: Where did Lin Sicheng get his experience?

“Professor Wang, I really have experience: my grandfather has a small workshop at home with an electric kiln and glazes, which I often use to practice.”

After a slight pause, Lin Sicheng sighed again: "Besides, no matter how difficult this bronze plate is to handle, can it be more difficult than that iron certificate from before? Even without someone teaching me, I didn't find it that hard to learn..."

Wang Qizhi suddenly leaned back, all the words he had prepared stuck in his throat.

Social science institutions have only just begun to study the protection and restoration techniques related to ironware, and only a handful of papers have been published. Yet Lin Sicheng still understands them.

And don't be too good at it: know how to test, how to analyze, what method is fastest, or be more familiar with systematic maintenance procedures.

No one taught him, and he didn't learn it from a book. Where did he learn it from?

In comparison, with Professor Lin's instruction and personal guidance, shouldn't one learn ceramic restoration knowledge faster and better?

The reasoning was correct, but Wang Qizhi always felt that the logic was flawed.

For example, Einstein solved the photoelectric effect problem when he was only twenty years old.

"Professor Wang, why don't we give it a try first?"

Seeing his hesitation, Lin Sicheng blinked and said with a hint of seduction, "If possible, let's borrow the ceramics group's lab for a bit, a small one will do."

It won't take long, just one to two hours. First, you can look at the finished product after multiple firings of the sample glaze, and then compare it with the original glaze. At the same time, you can also test the safe temperature range of the original glaze after it enters the kiln…”

Wang Qizhi's eyes lit up: That's right, why bother arguing with Lin Sicheng here?

Whether it's a mule or a horse, we'll find out once we take it out for a spin.

He immediately stood up, took out his phone, and said, "Let's go!"

I admire Professor Wang's decisive and efficient attitude, without any hesitation or procrastination.

Lin Sicheng, being quite obsequious, closed the box and held it in his arms.

Li Zhen was somewhat puzzled and kept gesturing with her eyes, as if asking: If Professor Lin is not available, you can simply refuse, right?

Unable to explain immediately, Lin Sicheng smiled.

It would be such a waste not to share all those research findings and patented technologies that I have in my mind.

But this takes time, a process, a suitable excuse, and even more importantly: a partner who is professional enough, has strong backing, and whose character is above average.

Although they had only collaborated a few times, Lin Sicheng increasingly felt that Professor Wang was quite good.

Therefore, it is necessary to give potential partners some confidence when necessary.

For example, right now...