With the change of light and shadow, the sunlight slowly climbed up Courbet's shoulder, as if hearing the call from heaven, Courbet, whose head was buried deep between his arms, slowly raised his head, his face was full of shock, he did not expect that someone would spend a thousand francs to buy a broken painting that everyone laughed at, and even had an illusion in his mind.

The man who slowly walked towards him was the angel who saved him from the dark hell, but he was missing a pair of wings.

"Thank you sir, but this painting ......"

"Shh

Garion made a silent gesture before turning to face the haughty Astruc.

"Do you know what painting is and what art is?"

Astrük put his hands behind his back, looked at Garian in front of him proudly, and asked with a sneer, "If you don't know what art is, welcome to come to the Academy of Fine Arts in Paris." My name is Astrük, and if I didn't know how to pretend to understand, I might be as embarrassed as the gentleman just now. ”

Astruck's arrogance was based on his professionalism, dismissive of what Garion said.

"I'm really curious, what kind of professional background Your Excellency is, and how you would describe it as a noble black swan, a vulgar work."

Garian nodded, and said, "Oh, of course I know you, Your Excellency Astrück, professor emeritus at the Académie des Arts Française, great art critic, and mouthpiece of the academy. Still a stubborn conservative. It is always believed that the expression of sketch is everything, and color can only take a back seat. Nine times out of ten, the failure of the works present is your credit. ”

As he spoke, he pulled up Courbet, who was squatting on the ground, and said calmly, "Conservatives always stick to the rules, they make rules in their own small circles, and manipulate public opinion. The art that the French people like to see does not meet your Astruck aesthetics, what are you? The people of Paris love paintings about workers, literature about the love and hatred of ordinary people, why do you want to be a professor at the French Academy of Arts to approve it? The top can have preferences, someone likes Weir, someone likes Mozart, someone likes Hugo, what does it matter? Different people have different hobbies, how can this be used as a standard? Art requires the consent of the people. Art is valuable as long as the general public agrees. ”

"Please stay, yes, that's you."

Garian stopped the coal worker who was about to leave quietly and asked, "What's your name?" ”

"Willis, Your Excellency."

Willis replied timidly, not knowing what the hell this elegantly dressed "successful man" wanted to do. He tried to retract his hand, but was grabbed and slapped by the other party, and then raised it high.

"Mr. Willis, a coal worker, also has the right to express his preferences. Why do you academics want to point fingers and monopolize the right to speak in art? The French people don't like the bare-chested Venus, the radiant Virgin Mary, the merciful Jesus Christ, they want to see the hard slendermen on the Seine, the weary women in the textile mills, and the homeless peasants! ”

Astruk, whose deafening remarks were full of anger, blushed and reprimanded loudly, "It's just nonsense, it's nonsense." According to you, a coal worker can become a member of the French Academy of Arts, and a Parisian woman who can't read a lot of words can be a judge for a salon review? ”

Garion stares at Courbet's paintings, which are full of melancholy tones that portray his compassionate character. Astruck's questioning did not cause Garion to panic at all, and even found the question ridiculous.

"Wrong, Lord Astruc. Do you go out of your way to learn how to cook a steak before you try it? ”

Astrük was stunned.

"Do you think that if a person is ugly, he will become someone else and then comment?"

……

"Do you need to study for a few years in the Faculty of Letters?"

Astrük had nothing to say.

Garion spread out his hands and said helplessly, "Everyone understands these truths, only you pretend to be confused." ”

Courbet had never seen his old rival so embarrassed, and he couldn't help but wonder about the identity of the young man in front of him.

Elegant, knowledgeable, and personable.

Could it be some Parisian high society figure?

"Who the hell are you?"

Astrük yelled and screamed desperately, completely oblivious to the glances of his friends around him.

Garion replied calmly, "Oh, Your Excellency may have heard my name, my name is Garion. ”

The air was suddenly quiet.

Then a whispered discussion erupted.

Garrian, a name with mixed reputation, is a thunderous sensation in Parisian society.

There was awe, envy, disdain, and hatred from Mérimée in the eyes that stared at him.

Mérimée, who wrote Carmen in his early years, had already exhausted his talents in champagne and brandy, and he was jealous of Garion's talent, his political talent, his means of enriching himself, and his own heroes of the Bonaparte dynasty, but His Majesty Napoleon III preferred to believe in this sorcerer from the province of Luarka rather than in his erudite self.

The painters who were hit by the poisonous tongue, including Monet in a hurry, Whistler, who he didn't know before, and Galian's book lovers, all moved closer to the work "Masonry".

It is as if there is a mysterious power that attracts everyone's attention.

The crowd silently drew closer, and the stars surrounded Garion like a moon, listening to the teachings.

"Clever words, Lord Garrian, is this the last bit of your pitiful sophistry? Is there a way to change the fate of a group of poor losers? They were nailed to the pillars of the losers and could never turn over. ”

Mérimée clutched on to the last bit, because the official did not admit that these works were not much different from toilet paper for wiping his butt.

"Of course there is, as I said, the quality of a work should be left to the people to decide, not to the conservative official salon reviews."

Garion smiled, he stepped forward, stepped up the steps, stood on the most conspicuous high platform of the Palace of Industry, met everyone's eyes, and said loudly, "In Lower Garion, I want everyone present to do a vote." ”

Everyone in the audience looked at each other, completely unaware of what Garian wanted to do.

Garion pointed to Courbet's Masonry and said word by word, "The vote is that the Masonry voted for Mr. Courbet proves that it is an excellent painting." ”

Garion pulled out the pre-prepared blank paper, on which was written an affirmative answer.

"I'll lead by example and be the first to vote."

"I agree!"