Chapter 277 This item is worth at least a million
Counterfeit!
In short, it's calm and undisturbed.
Chen Yangyan was slightly bewildered as he looked at the now-unresponsive phone screen.
Just then, the auctioneer's bids came through the air: "Number 42, three million three hundred and fifty thousand... Number 11, three million four hundred thousand..."
Chen Daoqing was about to raise his placard when Chen Yangyan waved his hand and said, "Daoqing, let's not bid now!"
Are you not going to film anymore?
Before the bidding started, the father said that as long as it didn't exceed four million, he would feel free to bid.
He was just a little suspicious, but didn't say anything and obediently put down the number plate.
Chen Yangyan organized his thoughts: "President Hao, does Teacher Lin also know about oil painting?"
If we're talking about traditional Chinese painting, Lin Sicheng certainly knows it; his skill surpasses even that of Guan Xingmin, who graduated from the Central Academy of Fine Arts. But oil painting… I've never heard of it?
With a hint of suspicion, Hao Jun turned his head.
Wang Qizhi and Zhao Xiuneng nodded in unison.
I still remember last year when I went to Baoji and met Old Mrs. Zhao for the first time. Taking advantage of Lin Sicheng's youth, Zhao Xiu was able to produce an oil painting by Li Shutong, but Lin Sicheng saw through it at a glance: it was half real and half fake, a composite of the original and the painting.
After that incident, Ye Anning, who also graduated from the Central Academy of Fine Arts, grew to admire Lin Sicheng more and more.
In a flash, Wang Qizhi smiled and said, "President Chen, since Lin Sicheng is so certain, there might be some problem with this. Let's hold off for now!"
"Professor Wang, I understand. I don't doubt Professor Lin!" Chen Yangyan explained with a smile, "I'm just still shaken..."
Four million is neither a huge sum nor a small amount; it won't cripple Chen Yangyan, but it shouldn't be wasted like water.
Therefore, the preparations were thorough: we consulted professionals and inquired through other channels, and they all said there was nothing wrong with the painting.
Suddenly, Lin Sicheng told him: It's a fake.
If it were anyone else, Chen Yangyan would definitely have been suspicious, but because it was Lin Sicheng, he stopped filming without hesitation.
First, it was based on their friendship for saving each other's lives; second, it was based on his trust in Lin Sicheng; and third, Chen Yangyan intended to give this painting as a gift...
The auction continued, and Chen Yangyan adjusted his mood: It doesn't matter, there are plenty of good things, as long as you're willing to spend the money. If there's no Xiling, there's Poly Auction; if there's no auction house, there are art companies.
Just as he was thinking about it, he subconsciously paused: it felt like the frequency of the shots was much slower?
Several bidders would compete for the paddles, and sometimes before the auctioneer could even announce all the previous bids, the next paddle would be raised, and sometimes five or six paddles would be raised at once.
But now, it took the auctioneer two or three times before anyone slowly raised their paddle.
If that were all, Chen Yangyan wouldn't have been suspicious. The key point is that two of the families kept glancing back, intentionally or unintentionally, towards their direction.
They were all experts; Hao Jun, Zhao Xiuneng, and Wang Qizhi all noticed something was wrong.
Perhaps knowing the deal was off, they bid twice more. Seeing that Chen Daoqing didn't raise his paddle, two of the bidders stopped bidding, and the deal was finally sold for 3.68 million.
The moment the gavel fell, the successful bidder glanced back again, but his expression was as if he had eaten shit.
Chen Yangyan suddenly realized: These companies are all shills?
Suddenly, my eyelids started twitching uncontrollably: I asked someone for a gift, and they gave me a fake painting instead?
The thought of that scene is thrilling...
Instinctively, Chen Yangyan gritted his teeth and cursed, "Damn it."
Wang Qizhi and Zhao Xiuneng exchanged a glance, while Hao Jun looked completely bewildered: This painting is really fake?
The question is, where is it fake?
He took out his phone and quickly typed a text message.
Lin Sicheng glanced at his phone but did not reply.
There are many fake parts, but they are too subtle and too complicated to explain.
Firstly, the pigments: In order to brighten the dark areas and enhance the transparency of the seascape, Liu Ye's works, whether as a base or for covering, all use barite powder, which is natural barium sulfate.
However, this painting uses the most popular chemically synthesized titanium dioxide in modern oil painting.
Secondly, the canvas: Liu Ye never uses domestically produced canvases, but instead orders them specially from Germany. However, this painting uses canvas from the Shanghai Marie's Factory.
Third, refractive index: In Liu Ye's "Little Navy Series," the lenses are always treated with a matte finish, regardless of whether the light is backlit or frontlit. This one, however, is dazzlingly bright.
During the preview, Lin Sicheng only glanced at it briefly because Ye Anning was interested. At the time, he thought someone might fall for it, but he didn't expect it to be President Chen?
When the center was unveiled, Chen Yangyan gave such a generous gift, and last month in Huozhou, the two siblings were busy with all sorts of things. Knowing it was all fake, Lin Sicheng couldn't possibly not remind them.
Ye Anning nudged him: "Didn't you say that every profession is like a mountain to climb?"
Lin Sicheng nodded: "Of course!"
However, he was not referring to the judgment of authenticity, but rather to artistic value and historical significance.
He believes that the value of antiques lies in their ability to fill gaps in history, correct errors in official history, unravel historical mysteries, enhance cultural identity, and strengthen national self-confidence.
Even traditional modern artworks, such as calligraphy and paintings, can play a role in cultural inheritance, technological innovation, and the continuation of tradition by contemporary people, thus passing on the national humanistic spirit.
To add another point: even from the perspective of education and communication, if it is taught in schools when children are young and shown on television when they grow up, at least the general public will understand it to some extent. It has a cultural foundation and a market base.
But when it comes to contemporary Western artworks like oil paintings, if someone asks: Why do works by the master Leng (a famous Chinese painter) that are indistinguishable from photographs, and AI-generated paintings that could be even better, fetch hundreds of millions at auctions in China, while works by historical figures like Ji Xiaolan and Liu Yong, who are renowned throughout history and household names, only sell for a few hundred thousand?
If Lin Sicheng were to explain, he would rack his brains but still be unable to make sense of it.
It's not that the master's paintings were bad, but rather that there were too many human factors involved.
For example, if a painting by a master artist like Leng were to appear now and only fetch a few thousand dollars, Lin Sicheng would still not buy it even if he knew it would be worth hundreds of millions ten years later.
The operational model and monetization channels alone present a gap between Lin Sicheng and the market that is not just a mountain, but a galaxy...
With a sigh of relief, the auction continued.
Lu Zhen and Lu Meng didn't pay any attention, assuming that Lin Sicheng and Ye Anning were discussing which item in the catalog.
Wang Qizhi got his wish and photographed Liu Haisu's sketch.
It was 16-page paper, slightly smaller than AV paper, but after more than ten rounds of bidding, it finally sold for 220,000.
Then came the much-anticipated part: another failed auction, another failed auction, and yet another failed auction.
Occasionally, a work that has gained some fame will attract bids, but it will almost always be sold at the reserve price.
Guests kept getting up to leave, and within half an hour, most of them had left. The auctioneer, no longer bothering with formalities, asked once and if no one raised their paddle, then moved on to the next item. The auction of over eighty Western paintings and sculptures, including the break, took just one hour.
Next up is a special session on calligraphy and painting, including works from ancient times (Ming and Qing dynasties), modern and contemporary times (late Qing dynasty and the Republic of China), and contemporary works, as well as some works by members of the Xiling Seal Society. Among them are "Letters of Lin Zexu," which Wang Qizhi is particularly interested in, and "Landscape Album of Yun Shouping," which Zhao Xiuneng is particularly fond of.
The "Four Kings of the Qing Dynasty," which Lin Sicheng focused on, along with three contemporary artists, and the calligraphy couplets by Emperor Xuan Ye and Emperor Hongli, were all featured in this exhibition.
Compared to the previous event, there were more than six or seven times more guests, and the 200-seat venue was packed to capacity.
Lin Sicheng was positioned towards the back, and people kept passing by him. Every now and then, he would see one or two familiar faces.
The Chinese Painting Research Institute, Beijing Art Development Foundation, Peking University Library, Fengbaozhai, Beijing Cultural and Historical Research Institute, and several cultural companies under the Beijing Municipal Cultural Relics Store (Cultural Relics Bureau).
These are all officially affiliated collection, exhibition, and research institutions, and all the attendees are heads of their exhibition or collection departments. They've come here for one purpose: to have artworks from their respective organizations auctioned.
Of course, Lin Sicheng knew them, but they didn't know him yet. However, he estimated that the two items his teacher and senior brother Zhao had previously liked wouldn't be cheap today.
Just then, two men and two women walked past.
At first, Lin Sicheng didn't pay attention, but suddenly, Ye Anning turned her head, covered her face, and winked at him.
Lin Sicheng was suspicious, but after taking another look, his eyelids twitched: Teacher Bai, Bai Wan!
No wonder Cousin Ye acted like a thief.
Last autumn, this woman traveled to Xi'an and bought a Tang Dynasty agate cup with an animal head and a Tang Dynasty gold bracelet at the Bell Tower. Ye Anning took her to Lin Sicheng for appraisal, and it turned out that both pieces were fakes.
It was quite a coincidence that Mr. Bai's wife happened to be in charge of exhibitions at the Prince Gong's Mansion. At that time, they were collecting Ming and Qing porcelain. In the end, she offered eighteen yuan and bought a Ming Dynasty Dehua kiln lard white bowl that Lin Sicheng had only repaired halfway.
Meanwhile, in order to study the lost crafts of the Tang Dynasty, Lin Sicheng acquired two replicas of Tang Dynasty animal-head cups and gold bracelets from Professor Bai. It was then that Wang Qizhi encouraged him to apply for intangible cultural heritage status.
After that, Teacher Bai would call Lin Sicheng from time to time to ask him about appraisal knowledge. So, although they had only met once, they were quite close.
But Lin Sicheng wasn't interested in Bai Wan; he was more interested in the two people beside her.
A man in his late thirties, about the same age as Bai Wan, was arm in arm with her; he was probably her lover and worked in the collection department of the Prince Gong's Mansion Museum.
They must have come here to see some items they've got their eye on.
The key person next to him is Yu Zhiyuan, deputy director of the Institute of Chinese Fine Arts, Chinese National Academy of Arts, Ministry of Culture.
No… I’m not the deputy director yet, I should only be the director. But the main responsibility of this institute is creative research on national themes.
To put it more bluntly: it involves researching and creating paintings on themes such as landscapes, revolutionary history, and the Red Army. The subjects of this research include Fu Baoshi, Pan Tianshou, Huang Binhong, Li Keliang, and many others.
The first director was Huang Binhong.
Lin Sicheng immediately sensed something was wrong: he suspected that if he wanted to acquire the works of the three renowned artists he had previously favored, he would probably have to spend a fortune...
As he pondered this, several people passed by. Lin Sicheng turned his head slightly, pretending to talk to Ye Anning.
The two looked at each other and smiled.
Then, filming officially began.
The highlight comes right off the bat: Weng Tonghe's ink and wash painting on paper, "Osmanthus Blossoms in Autumn".
Anyone familiar with modern history knows that he was a famous politician, calligrapher, and collector during the late Qing Dynasty.
He achieved the highest rank in the imperial examination and served under three emperors: Xianfeng, Tongzhi, and Guangxu. He rose to the positions of Left Censor-in-Chief of the Censorate, Minister of Justice, Minister of Works, Minister of Revenue, and Associate Grand Secretary. He was also the tutor of both the Tongzhi and Guangxu Emperors.
From the Qin Dynasty to the Qing Dynasty, there were only six people in history who served as tutors to two emperors, and he was one of them.
This man was a staunch supporter of the imperialists and a staunch advocate of war. During the First Sino-Japanese War, he repeatedly urged another war. After the complete annihilation of the Beiyang Fleet, Li Hongzhang requested territorial concessions, but Weng Tonghe firmly opposed this, preferring to pay more indemnities. He even proposed agreeing to pay indemnities first, but on an invoice, and then raising funds to rebuild the navy for another war.
The original plan was for him to go to negotiate with Li Hongzhang, but Empress Dowager Cixi was afraid that he would cause the negotiations to break down, so she only sent Li Hongzhang. Then, the Treaty of Shimonoseki came about.
Later, he presided over the Hundred Days' Reform, which failed, and he was dismissed by Empress Dowager Cixi and never to be employed again.
In his past life, Lin Sicheng had seen Lin Sicheng's memorial on war preparations during the First Sino-Japanese War, as well as the arithmetic homework he had corrected for Emperor Guangxu when he was a child, in the Forbidden City. At the time, he even joked with Old Madam Wang: "Whichever one of these is stolen, it could be sold for millions." As a result, he was scolded by the old lady.
Look at this one. The painting is not large, only 1.2 square feet (33cm*44cm), but it has a lot of inscriptions, which take up more than three times the size of the painting itself, and they are all by famous artists.
"Do you smell the fragrance of osmanthus?" Recorded by Tao Junxuan during a visit to Poshan Temple in Changshu in the ninth month of the year Yiwei of the Guangxu reign (1885). Seals: Junxuan's Seal (white), Xinyun (red). This man was a 45th-generation descendant of Tao Yuanming and a renowned calligrapher of the late Qing Dynasty.
Weng wrote this, but did not paint much. Written by Yang Xian in the fourth month of the Bing Shen year of the Guangxu reign (1886). Seal: Yang Ya (red). This man was also a famous calligrapher and epigrapher of the late Qing Dynasty.
A light ink stroke on a short sheet of paper, brushed by the autumn breeze; I can almost picture the scene of candlelight filtering through the curtains. Inscribed at the request of my esteemed brother, Ziying, by Zhang Jian. Seal: Chen Jian (red). This man is even more famous: the top scholar of the 20th year of the Guangxu Emperor's reign, a modern Chinese industrialist, politician, educator, calligrapher, financier, philanthropist, and collector.
He drafted Puyi's abdication edict. During the Xinhai Revolution, he served as the Minister of Industry in the Nanjing Provisional Government, advocating for national salvation through industry. The famous Dasheng Textile Factory was co-founded by him and Sheng Huaixuan. He also founded Nantong Museum, China's first museum.
After that, there were Ren Bonian, Wu Changshuo, Lu Hui, Liu Yanyi, Jin Erzhen, Yun Minling... a total of ten people, all of whom left postscripts and seals, and they were all famous artists.
Looking at the estimated value, is it between 50,000 and 70,000?
Lin Sicheng felt that even if he just cut off all the seals from the painting, he could sell it for more money than this.
Strangely, the atmosphere inside the venue wasn't very lively. Bidding started at 50,000, with increments of 2,000 at a time, and it took almost two minutes to break 80,000.
According to Lin Sicheng's previous guess, it would take at most one minute to break through 100,000, and three minutes to reach 500,000.
Wait... what's going on?
Seeing his confusion, Ye Anning explained in a low voice, "I asked around, and this painting was auctioned at China Guardian's Autumn Auction last year. During the preview, a professor from the Chinese Painting Academy examined it and concluded that it was a copy from the Republican era."
First, the brushstrokes on the laurel leaves are weak and feeble; second, the final stroke of the "禾" radical in the character "和" is weak and hesitant; third, the ink on several seals is too bright… and most importantly, the ink is wrong, containing oil soot rather than tribute ink. That's why they failed to sell last year, and that's why today's estimated price is so low…
Lin Sicheng was completely bewildered: the brushstrokes were weak and the final strokes hesitant; he hadn't noticed these two points when he looked at it. He just felt that the brushstrokes were full of resentment and venting.
That's true, the ink does contain petroleum soot, but that was in the late Qing Dynasty, when foreign inks were popular, and there were many works of art created with ink in the Palace Museum during the same period.
As for the overly bright seals... those who left postscripts were either high-ranking officials, extremely wealthy people, or at the very least, famous calligraphers and seal engravers, and they all used the finest oil-based vermilion.
Moreover, it is only a little over a hundred years old, and the painting is still so well preserved, so the seal is naturally very bright.
Regardless of Lin Sicheng's opinion, the painting didn't seem like a fake. Because the lot number was so early in the auction, it was bound to be auctioned off right away, so he naturally assumed that the auction house was doing this on purpose to warm up the crowd.
I never expected that everyone would think this work was a fake.
On second thought: Could it be that this was deliberately leaked to clear out inventory?
Just as I was pondering this, the auctioneer began calling out bids: "One hundred and twenty thousand for the first time, one hundred and twenty thousand for the second time..."
Lin Sicheng suddenly realized what was happening and raised his number plate with a "whoosh".
The auctioneer had just raised his gavel when he instinctively stopped mid-air. It's no exaggeration; if he had hesitated even a second, the gavel would have fallen.
He glanced at it: "Number 42, 114,000..."
Ye Anning's eyes lit up, while Lu Meng, who was next to her, was stunned for a moment.
No... are you out of your mind, or is there something wrong with your ears? Ye Anning explained it so clearly, why did you still film it?
Lu Meng gave Ye Anning a wink, but Ye Anning remained unmoved.
Thinking Ye Anning hadn't seen it, she whispered a reminder: "Lin, there's something wrong with this painting!"
Lin Sicheng smiled and said, "It looks pretty real to me!"
Lu Meng choked for a moment, then fell silent. Lu Zhen looked at her strangely: "No... are you so desperate to find a bargain?"
Looking at Lin Sicheng's attire, he asked with a strange expression, "Brother, this costs over 110,000?"
It means: Do you have that much money?
Lin Sicheng smiled and said, "I lent some out!"
Lu Zhen let out a soft "heh" and said nothing more.
Ye Anning rolled her eyes: You snobbish jerk...
There was only one buyer left. After bidding twice more, Lin Sicheng raised the price to 122,000, and then he gave up.
The auctioneer brought down the gavel. Looking at the pictures on the screen, Lin Sicheng felt extremely strange: How could someone find a bargain like this?
As far as I can recall, the only work by Weng Tonghe that was auctioned was four volumes of his manuscript "The Diary of the Wuxu Year," which sold for 126.5 million.
These are the original archives of the Kang-Liang Reform Movement, which are extremely valuable historical documents, hence their high price.
Secondly, works such as the eight-panel running script "Yueyang Tower Inscription", sixty-eight letters to Li Hongzhang, twelve-page volume of the regular script "Heart Sutra", and the manuscript of the "Returning to the Fields" poetry collection, etc., are all worth at least tens of millions.
Of course, these items either bear the imperial seal of Emperor Guangxu, are secret records of diplomatic decisions in the late Qing Dynasty, are gifts presented to Empress Dowager Cixi for her birthday, or are poems of indignation written by a man who was dismissed from office.
The piece before us is merely a lyrical work, short in length, and incomparable in significance or representativeness.
Even at its worst, Lin Sicheng believed he could still fetch five or six hundred thousand. Within three years, with the surge in public patriotism, the price could increase at least five or six times.
So, it means I didn't even spend a fraction of the money?
Sighing inwardly, Lin Sicheng glanced at the auction as it continued. Then, his eyes narrowed.
Xu Gu's colored fan painting, "Squirrel"?
The items are definitely good, but why is the bidding pace even slower than before?
The starting bid was 35,000, and after almost three minutes, it had only reached 60,000.
According to Lin Sicheng's estimate, this item is worth at least a million...
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