The Versatile Master Artist

Chapter 48: Chapter 34: The Way of the Painter (Part 2)

It seemed that Shengzi was completely immersed in her own world of painting, indifferent to everything else.

Only when she talked about painting would she show any interest.

This time, when he accompanied ”mother-in-law” Mrs. Sakai to fly to Yangon, during a few days of conversation, he keenly noticed that Shengzi frequently mentioned a local painter named Gu Weijing.

Moreover, every time she mentioned this name, there was a hint of excitement in her tone, which made Xiaomao Taichiro, who already considered Koizumi Katsuko as his own possession, a bit jealous.

”Looks too young. I heard Master Lin Tao likes you a lot and wants to take you as a disciple. Has he mentioned when you would formally become his disciple?”

Mr. Xiaomao scrutinized Gu Weijing.

Gu Weijing felt uncomfortable under the other’s gaze, but out of courtesy, he still replied.

”Professor Lin Tao just said that I could consider going to the Central Academy of Fine Arts when applying to universities.”

”Just a student, huh.”

Mr. Xiaomao sneered and shook his head.

Students and disciples are two different things. The former is just teaching, while the latter inherits the essence, especially in Asia, where being an inner disciple is a very intimate relationship, like a father-son relationship in the art world. The disciple inherits the essence while the master paves the way for you.

Even already famous painters find it beneficial for their development to connect with Professor Lin Tao.

This is why Professor Lin Tao was so surprised to hear that Elder Cao wanted to take Gu Weijing as a disciple.

If it’s just as a student,

Cao Xuan is currently invited as the dean and lifelong professor of the Eastern Art Department at the Hamburg University of Fine Arts. In theory, every student applying to the Eastern Art Department can say they are a student of Elder Cao.

But Elder Cao’s true disciples number less than five at present, and each is a renowned artist.

”I thought it was something...”

Since there was no immediate plan to hold a disciple ceremony, Mr. Xiaomao assumed that Professor Lin Tao was only speaking politely when he suggested Gu Weijing apply to the Central Academy of Fine Arts.

”I don’t know if Professor Lin Tao wants to encourage young people or if it’s because his main focus leans more towards Chinese painting, hence his low requirements for sketches. Is this your pen drawing?”

He took out one of the four pen drawings from the glove compartment of the car.

After the competition, the pen drawings were collected by the staff, and it was unclear how Mr. Xiaomao got hold of these works.

”Perhaps the only commendable thing is the technique of using the pen, but it’s just acceptable. There’s too much technique, and no soul. It’s only slightly better than that incompetent Tanaka, far inferior to Miss Sakai. In my view, becoming a soulless photocopier is even worse than not painting well at all.”

Mr. Xiaomao crumpled Gu Weijing’s painting bit by bit in front of him, then tore it up and casually threw it away.

”It’s only because Professor Lin’s standards are lenient. If it were our gallery, such a pen drawing would only end up in the trash.”

He said condescendingly.

Mr. Xiaomao was not afraid to offend Professor Lin Tao. In terms of artistic status, his father and Professor Lin Tao were almost equals.

But he didn’t want to offend this second disciple of Elder Cao either.

Their family gallery was reputedly the first in Osaka, fifth in Japan.

But their annual sales were only about the same as one or two fine paintings by Elder Cao, not to mention the gallery’s profit being an order of magnitude less than the sales.

Even the second-generation disciples of Elder Cao were almost all artists on the same level as his father.

After finding out that Lin Tao probably did not have plans to accept Gu Weijing as a disciple anytime soon, Mr. Xiaomao’s attack on Gu Weijing became bold and blatant.

Meanwhile, in the Mercedes-Benz.

”Mr. Xiaomao is a bit rude.”

Professor Jiu Kai Yicheng, who had already gotten into the car, happened to see the scene of tearing the painting, shook his head in displeasure, intending to open the door and get out.

”Ichiro, let the children settle their own matters. Xiaomao Taichiro knows his limits.”

Mrs. Sakai shook her head.

She looked at her husband.

”One is the son of the president of the All Japan Calligraphy and Painting Federation, the heir to the Xiaosong Gallery. The other is a local painter in Yangon. What do you think?”

Her tone was meaningful.

”Isn’t it too early? Shengzi is only seventeen.”

Jiu Kai Yicheng wondered for a moment, quickly understanding his wife’s intention.

”It’s not early, don’t tell me you can’t see what Xiaomao’s intentions are. Besides, seventeen or eighteen is the age to understand what is a suitable match. Perhaps that Gu Weijing indeed has some talent. But we are all in the art field, and we should know how difficult it is to turn talent into wealth.”

Mrs. Sakai might not necessarily have to choose Mr. Xiaomao to be her son-in-law.

But at least, in her opinion, Xiaomao Taichiro was much more advantageous as a friend of Shengzi compared to Gu Weijing.

Not to mention the strong alliance with Mr. Koshiba Kentaro that could provide a lot of help for her daughter on her artistic path.

Just talking about the two young people themselves.

Xiaomao Taichiro is already a professional painter now.

In his senior year of college, he successfully qualified for the Yokohama Art Triennial and won second place in the amateur student group, being one of the youngest winners in the past decade.

Perhaps due to his father’s connections, but anyway, a painting by Xiaomao Taichiro’s can now sell for thirty thousand dollars or more.

What about Gu Weijing?

Can one of his paintings sell for a hundred dollars?

The gap between the two is like a seed still in the wild and a sapling already grown.