The Versatile Master Artist

”Painters should deepen their painting skills while lowering the threshold for people to appreciate Eastern art.”

Mr. Cao Xuan softly said, ”The annual conference will have many foreign dignitaries present, and there will be television broadcast and media coverage. The simpler the speech, the higher the efficiency of dissemination, the easier it is to let more people feel the charming allure of Dongxia’s art.”

”You truly become more insightful with age, honing a sense of returning to simplicity! It’s indeed something ordinary folk like me can’t compare to...”

Old Yang exclaimed in admiration.

”Enough with the flattery, what brings you here?” The old man rolled his eyes and shrugged off the unsaid compliments from Old Yang.

When he goes for a walk, he doesn’t like being disturbed by outsiders.

Old Yang is a perceptive individual and wouldn’t come over just for idle chatter; there must be another reason.

”Hey, I knew nothing could slip past your keen eyes.”

Old Yang chuckled, giving a thumbs-up.

An assistant’s job essentially is to serve. Some artists employ assistants who also act as private art consultants, forming a cornerstone along with the agent on their artistic path.

Old Yang was an art student in the 92nd batch at the Central Academy of Fine Arts, holding a master’s degree from the painting department of the Royal Academy of Arts, boasting a strong educational background from top institutions.

But he is clear-minded and realizes, regardless of how he’s labeled as Mr. Cao’s personal assistant outside, he is just referred to reverently as ”Teacher Yang” by those great artists.

Yet, in front of Mr. Cao Xuan, he is merely insignificant.

Offering art suggestions or advice is not his place; Old Yang’s only responsibility is to keep the old master happy on a daily basis.

Whether to listen to flattery is Mr. Cao’s choice.

To flatter or not is a matter of attitude.

”Ma Shi Gallery has approached that young man. Truly the one you favored, attracting such a top-tier gallery at such a young age.”

Old Yang didn’t dare keep it suspenseful and quickly reported the good news to Mr. Cao Xuan.

”Young Gu?”

Cao Xuan was surprised to hear Gu Weijing’s news right after he had thought of him.

”Yes, it’s Mr. Xiao Gu.”

Old Yang smiled and said, ”During my university years, a senior who studied oil painting signed with a gallery in Europe. Even that was just a second-tier gallery but still caused quite a stir. Young people today, so astonishingly capable.”

”So young, signing with a gallery! Why let artistic creation be interfered with by gallery owners?”

Upon hearing the news, there wasn’t much joy on Cao Xuan’s face; rather, his brows furrowed almost imperceptibly.

”Be careful not to stifle growth prematurely,”

The old gentleman said with concern.

There are art museums with a history of three hundred years, but no galleries with a three-hundred-year history.

More than half of the ten major contemporary galleries represented by Gagosian were established in the eighties and nineties.

The emerging concept of the ”Contemporary Gallery—Agency Artists” industry system became popular after World War II, and the Ma Shi Gallery, with a history of over half a century, is already one of the oldest.

years.

This is almost longer than the entire creative cycle in the careers of ninety percent of the painters, thus every serious artist today comes from this nurturing system.

Alas, Mr. Cao is too old and became famous very early.

He’s one of the very few great painters who have never signed with a gallery.

”Even if Mr. Xiao Gu is young, having packaging isn’t necessarily a bad thing.” Old Yang thought for a moment, ”It’s about marketing now, selling nonsense as gold.”

”I am who I am, irrespective of gallery packaging.” Cao Xuan shook his head, ”A gallery can wrap garbage in gold foil. A hundred years later, when time blows away the luxurious exterior, it will reveal the muck underneath.”

”The emperor’s new clothes can deceive the market temporarily but cannot fool the discerning eyes of people eternally. I still hold that fame earned by one’s own hand is the true fame.”

Mr. Cao has upheld this philosophy throughout his life.

Born in Jiangsu and Zhejiang, as a child, he learned painting from his grandfather, a painting master from Late Qing Suzhou.

At the age of 14, he was recommended by his teacher to visit Xu Beihong, who had returned from Paris to Shanghai, painting by the Art Deco Building by the Huangpu River in the Concession, stunning Shanghai under the name of a prodigy, having painted many historical celebrities. A Jewish taipan once offered one thousand pounds for a precise portrait by young Cao Xuan, who was hardly of age.

Later, as the art scene of the Republic shifted from south to north, Cao Xuan headed to Beiping.

During the Tsinghua Garden years, a review inspired by Late Han scholars’ evaluation was held every month called ”Bright Moon Critique,” assessing major painters and calligraphers worldwide.

Zhang Daqian, Xu Beihong, and other famous artists were listed, amongst them, Cao Xuan received the eight-character praise ”vigorous brushwork, already in Miao Grade,” becoming the youngest on the list, bringing him instant international acclaim.

Later, he traveled to Europe to participate in the Paris Autumn Art Salon in France.

It is one of the highest stages of world art; Picasso and Paul Cézanne had both struck out here. Cao Xuan failed to exhibit for three consecutive years, then miraculously won the ”Highest Award” in the fourth year, officially stepping into the ranks of world-class great painters.

The venerable man gained all his fame without relying on any external gallery promotional hype, conquering art judges and collectors purely through personal effort and a single paintbrush.

His reputation was forged in art competitions with solid skills in every stroke.

Whether from an Eastern or Western perspective, Mr. Cao is quite a classical painter, maintaining a distance from professional gallery commercial marketing systems.