Mr. Yu, please state your conditions. Neil said solemnly: Of course, I can't make the decision, but I will try my best to facilitate this matter.
Yu Fei nodded and said: I know, I hope we can all get what we want.
While talking, Yu Fei was constantly thinking about which precious cultural relics should be selected from the more than 23,000 Chinese collections in the British Museum.
When Yu Fei came to London for the first time, he went to the British Museum and listened to Princess Alice's basic introduction, so he had some understanding of the precious artworks there.
What he was thinking about now was how to speak so that Neil could accept it easily. As for how to persuade other managers of the British Museum to agree to this transaction, that was Neil's business, and he couldn't help much.
After thinking for a while, under Neil's eager and nervous eyes, Yu Fei began to speak like a lion.
Neil, with great sincerity, I just want to exchange this precious masterpiece of Master Giacometti for the following artworks. Yu Fei said: First of all, the painting of female history is a must.
Neil exclaimed in surprise. He didn't expect Yu Fei's appetite to be so big. You must know that the Picture of Women's History is one of the three treasures of the British Museum. The other two treasures are the Egyptian Rosetta.
Stone tablets, Elgin marble sculptures from the Parthenon in ancient Greece. Regarding the British Museum’s treasure, it has always been a matter of opinion. This statement is adopted because of the needs of the plot. Yu Fei actually put his mind on this.
.this is simply unacceptable
Don't be so excited. Yu Fei had already anticipated Neil's reaction.
The painting of Nu Shi Zhen and the painting of Luo Shen Fu that Yu Fei obtained before were both painted by Gu Kaizhi of the Eastern Jin Dynasty.
Nu Shi is the name of a female official, and later became an honorific title for intellectual women; Pron means admonishment and admonishment.
Emperor Hui of the Western Jin Dynasty, Sima Zhong, did not do his job properly, and the power of the country was monopolized by his queen Jia. He was jealous, deceitful, and licentious. The minister Zhang Hua collected the deeds of the sages and saints from various generations in history and wrote the Nine Paragraphs of Women's History.
, regarded as an exhortation and warning, it was regarded as a famous piece of bitter words to warn the world, and it was widely circulated.
Later, Gu Kaizhi divided the painting into sections according to the content of the article, and each paragraph contained a proverb except the first paragraph. The pictures in each paragraph vividly revealed the meaning of the proverb, so it was called the painting of proverbs of women's history. This is the masterpiece of Chinese history, the painting of proverbs of women's history.
come out.
The Picture of Admonitions to the Female History is the earliest famous Chinese painting that still exists in the world, and it is also one of the earliest works of professional painters in my country that can still be seen. It has a landmark significance in the history of Chinese art and has been a treasure collected by the palaces of all dynasties. The authentic painting of the Picture of Admonitions to the Female History has long been Lost, only two copies exist now.
One of them is collected by the Palace Museum and was copied by someone from the Song Dynasty. The brushwork and color are not of the highest quality.
The other one is this Tang Dynasty copy in the British Museum. It was originally an old possession of the Qing Palace. It was deeply loved by Emperor Qianlong and was hidden in the Old Summer Palace.
In 1860, the British and French forces invaded Beijing, and British Captain Ji Yong stole it from the Old Summer Palace and took it abroad. It was collected in the British Museum in 1903 and has become the most important oriental cultural relic in the museum.
Yu Fei's idea of attacking it really made Neil feel very sad.
Isn't it just an ancient Chinese painting, and it's a copy, not an authentic one? Yu Fei said in an understatement, as if the painting of the female historian is not a precious work of art, but just a graffiti by a street artist.
Mr. Neil, to be fair, if it were placed on the international auction market, would a copy of the "Programs of Women's History" be sold for more than 25 million pounds? Besides, as you just said, for Giacometti's masterpiece
Twenty-five million pounds is just a conservative estimate. In fact, with the bidding from the tycoons in the Middle East and Russia, the final selling price must be far more than this figure. This is something you and I both know well. Let me ask.
Is it okay to have a copy of the Proverbs of Women’s History?
At the beginning of the 2000s, Chinese art was not so popular in the international market, so the price was generally lower than that of European art. Although the "Women's Admonitions" is the treasure of the British Museum, if it really wants to be auctioned
, the price will probably not reach 25 million pounds.
But Mr. Yu, the artistic value cannot be compared with the economic value. Neil retorted. Although the selling price is low, it does not mean that the artistic value of the Women's History Pictures is lower than that of Giacometti's works. Because they are two different regions.
Outstanding art from different nations and different eras is too biased to measure by economic value.
However, economic value is one of the important basis for measuring works of art. Am I right? At the same time, what I want to say is that the authentic copy of Gu Kaizhi's other work Luo Shen Fu Tu has been discovered in China, which will definitely reduce the price greatly.
I don’t think you don’t know the importance and historical value of the Women’s History Picture. Whether the Women’s History Picture can still become a symbol of the British Museum remains to be discussed. Yu Fei interrupted Neil and said: Neil, this is just the beginning.
I doubt your sincerity. If that's the case, I don't think we should discuss the deal. I'd better contact Mr. Bafaya.
Yu Fei put on a talkative and impatient expression and said, as if to say: Just now you shamelessly wanted to exchange, and now you have just proposed a collection, and you are pushing back. Are you kidding me?
Don't get me wrong, Mr. Yu, I have no such intention. It's just that the picture of Women's History covers too much, and it is one of the symbols of the British Museum. What I'm worried about is that even if I agree, others may not agree. You also know that I have nothing to do with you.
The Yongle Museum has different levels of control. Although I am the nominal director, many decisions must be approved by other managers. Neil said weakly.
He knew that Chinese people were very kind, and Yu Fei was so young and impulsive. If he showed weakness and pretended to be pitiful, Yu Fei might get hot-headed and easily agree to the exchange.
But Neil underestimated how dark Yu Fei was. Although he was nearly thirty years younger than Neil, in terms of calmness and cunning, Yu Fei probably couldn't give him any less.
Neil, actually I don't understand very much. Is it a very honorable thing to use an ancient Chinese painting as a symbol of the British Museum? Yu Fei said disapprovingly.
I understand what you mean, but art has no borders. Just as Neil was about to defend himself, he was interrupted by Yu Fei.
I hope you understand that we are talking about a transaction, not debating whether art has national boundaries. Yu Fei said directly: Whether the transaction can be successful depends on whether both parties can accept the terms of exchange. I'm sorry, how to convince others
People are not my business, they are your business.
Yes, yes. Neil said helplessly. He didn't know if the heating in the manor was turned on too much. Neil's forehead was sweating slightly. He knew that he wanted to kill Yu Fei before, and this young man was not easy to deal with at all.
, even very scary. He can always grasp the most critical point and make full use of it. Neil now has some doubts about whether his efforts to promote this deal were a wrong decision for him and the British Museum.
Already.
It's not over yet. Yu Fei continued: "At the same time, I also want to exchange
Yu Fei tilted his head and thought for a moment, then said: Liao Sancai Arhat.
Neil was surprised again.
Liao Sancai is a new variety of ceramics developed after Tang Sancai. Liao Sancai Daluohan came from Yixian County, which is said to be Song Sancai. Because Yi County belongs to the Liao Dynasty, the author writes about Liao Sancai, which represents the highest achievement of sculpture realism since the Tang Dynasty.
There are 16 or 18 national treasures in total. They were stolen and shipped out of the country in the early 20th century, and at least three of them were destroyed in the process.
During World War II, one of the statues stored in the Museum of East Asian Art in Berlin was unfortunately destroyed by the Soviet army's occupation of Berlin. So far, only 10 statues still exist in the world, and there is only one in the British Museum, and there is not even one in the country.
Yu Fei's request was like a knife, cutting Neil's flesh painfully
Yu Fei glanced at Neil dissatisfied, as if blaming him for making such a fuss.
Mr. Yu, Neil swallowed his saliva and said: What I want to say is that whether it is the picture of female history or the three-color Arhat, its artistic value is comparable to Giacometti's masterpiece. One for two, even if
I agree, and other managers certainly won't agree either.
Neil didn't expect that Yu Fei would be so open-minded as to open two such precious works of art one after another.
Who said I had to trade one for two? Yu Fei said.
Oh, which one does Mr. Yu mean to change? Neil asked in surprise. To be continued...