The Shadow of Great Britain

Chapter 987: Chapter 53 Art Patron

Victor and Great Dumas carried the painting, which was taller than both of them, into the agency.

Arthur stood up and glanced at the painting, almost spitting the tea in his mouth onto Dumas’s face.

“Damn! Mr. Victor, Alexander, did you two rob the Louvre Museum? Where did you get this painting?”

The reason Arthur had such a big reaction was because the painting was too famous and iconic.

The main subject of the painting was a young woman wearing a Phrygian cap, half-naked, with her right hand raised high, holding a red, white, and blue tricolor flag. Behind her were students, soldiers, and workers.

If Arthur remembered correctly, the name of this painting should be “Liberty Leading the People.”

Whether in art textbooks or history textbooks, it always occupied its own page.

Great Dumas, seeing Arthur’s jaw nearly drop, remarked in amazement, “You actually know this painting? Oh… I almost forgot, you seemed to have visited the Louvre a couple of days ago.”

Arthur glared at Dumas, “Alexander, Mr. Victor, you two should limit your pranks; the Breaux Detective Agency can’t be so broke as to resort to stealing artworks from museums, right?”

Victor laughed heartily, “Brother, don’t get the wrong idea. This painting wasn’t stolen by us. The painting depicting the July Revolution was indeed displayed at the Louvre previously, but the government was concerned that displaying it might provoke the republican faction, so they returned the painting to Mr. Delacroix. It just so happened that Mr. Delacroix is short on funds lately, and since he knows we deal with wealthy clients often, he asked us to help find a buyer for the painting.”

“This painting depicts the July Revolution?” Arthur asked in surprise, “I always thought it was about the Great Revolution.”

Dumas responded, “Not every painting with a tricolor flag is about the Great Revolution. This one depicts the battle on July 27, 1830, at the bridge of Notre-Dame in Paris. The woman warrior holding the tricolor is Clara Lecing, and the one following her, inserting the tricolor at the bridgehead, is Alger. Frankly, I should have been in this painting myself since I was firing back at the government troops not far from Alger.”

After hearing Dumas’s description, Arthur finally understood the origin of the painting.

He stared at this artwork, a national treasure of France, hesitated for a moment, and couldn’t help but ask, “Who does Mr. Delacroix plan to sell this painting to?”

Victor replied, “For a master like Mr. Delacroix, there has never been a shortage of buyers for his paintings. But the subject matter of this one is just too sensitive. In Paris, those with the funds to acquire artwork usually won’t consider buying this painting, as it would be like challenging the government and showcasing their republicanism. On the other hand, those who don’t care about the government’s opinion generally can’t afford it. So… my suggestion to him was to consider selling the painting to cultured, wealthy, and discerning foreign collectors.”

The cultured, wealthy, and discerning Sir Arthur Hastings understood immediately why these two had been setting up such a long preamble.

He lit a match, glanced at the painting once more, and said, “Alright. So, what price does Delacroix want to sell it to me for?”

“Not much.” Dumas mysteriously extended his hand, “How does this number look to you?”

Seeing this, Arthur softly inquired, “Five hundred francs?”

“You’ve got the number right, but since we’re selling to a Brit, we should price it in British Pounds.”

“Five hundred pounds?” Arthur raised his eyebrows, “For a Delacroix painting, that price might not be expensive, but considering my personal finances… five hundred pounds, that’s a full ten thousand francs.”

Dumas also felt the price seemed a bit high, but he had no intention of lowering it.

This chubby fellow always felt that if the painting sold for a lower price, it would somehow diminish the glory he had during the July Revolution.

“Arthur, think about it; when Heinrich brags about you in the ‘Constitutional Newspaper,’ he dares to ask directly for 1,000 francs. Won’t Mr. Delacroix’s large painting rival ten articles by Heinrich? I’d say you’re getting a bargain. If it weren’t for the difficulty in finding a buyer for this painting, everyone would be scrambling for it at the price of ten thousand francs. Besides, even if you buy it at a high price now, just flaunt it for a few years, and these artworks appreciate quickly.”

On this note, Dumas goaded, “Truth be told, if I hadn’t just purchased a theater in Paris, I’d have planned to buy this painting myself.”

Victor quickly urged, “Alexander, I advise you to be careful. If you hang this painting in the theater, you might not be able to get your operating license.”

Arthur couldn’t help but shake his head, “Alexander, are you mistaking me for the Count of Monte Cristo from your novel? Edmond Dantes can spend six million francs a year in Paris, and casually tip five thousand francs to an agent for buying a villa, but I can’t afford to be that wealthy. Two bottles of ordinary French red wine only sell for 1 franc, and a high-end dress shirt outside the Louvre costs only four francs. While I admit Mr. Delacroix’s painting is excellent, you’re asking me for the equivalent of twenty thousand bottles of wine and two thousand five hundred high-end shirts, and that’s just too much.”