Of course, it is impossible for Lu Shi to take Mondrian as a disciple,

First, he couldn't teach painting;

Second, he feared that his influence would cause Mondrian to change direction from a pioneer of geometric abstraction to a pioneer of comics.

This has been done in history,

For example, the author of "Father and Son", E. O. Braun, himself a graduate of the Royal Academy of Painting and Publishing in Leipzig, later tasted the sweetness of publishing comics and changed direction.

Lu Shi waved his hand,

"No, I can't teach you."

Mondrian sighed, his eyes rolling as if he wanted to persuade him again.

Margarita on the side whispered, "Professor Lu, I think you are fully capable of teaching him painting theory." ”

Lu Shi: "......"

"You think I'm too versatile."

Margarita pouted slightly,

In her mind, Professor Lu is a character who can teach anything, but he is always so humble.

Lu Shi said to Mondrian: "That's all I can say, and the rest of the matter needs to be explored by yourself." By the way, if I could, I would like to buy a few of your paintings, in case you become popular in the future? ”

Mondrian couldn't help but be delighted when he heard this,

At this time, he had not yet made a name for himself in the painting world, and he could only barely make a living by selling paintings, and being asked to buy paintings was undoubtedly a kind of recognition.

He asked in a low voice, "Professor Lu, I heard that you have a painting of "Water Lilies" in your possession?" ”

Lu Shi smiled,

"What? Do you want to trade your painting for Water Lilies? ”

Mondrian shook his head repeatedly,

"How dare I!?"

However, Lu Shi's words were equivalent to giving him an answer, and the rumors circulating on the streets of Paris seemed to be true.

Mondrian couldn't help but imagine,

A hundred years later, people sorted out Lu Shi's collection and found that there was a painting by an unknown person next to "Water Lilies", and the painter was himself.

What a glory!

What he didn't know was that in addition to "Water Lilies", Lu Shi also had "Female History Zhentu".

Mondrian said, "Professor Lu, I can give you a painting. ”

Lu Shi shook his head,

"How can that work? I have to pay! ”

He bought paintings when people were not famous, which was enough to make money, and it was really inappropriate for him to prostitute for nothing.

Mondrian opened his mouth, as if he wanted to shirk it,

Kandinsky, who was beside him, leaned over, nodded in the direction of Margarita, and whispered, "You should take the money." In a way, this is also to help Professor Lu. ”

Mondrian looked confused, saying that he didn't understand,

"How do you collect money or help?"

Kandinsky shook his head, looking like a "son can't be taught", and said, "You, just listen to me~"

In terms of age, he is a few years older than Mondrian,

Moreover, he was already well-known at this time, having been in contact with many art dealers, critics and publishers, so he knew more about interpersonal communication.

Mondrian doubted, but he still believed,

He said to Lu Shi: "Professor Lu, come to the studio with me?" ”

Lu Shi nodded,

"It's better that you're willing to cut your love."

The four of them and a cat helped Mondrian pack up his easel and leave Tower Bridge Park together.

Mondrian's dormitory is not far away,

He should have spent a lot of money to rent, in addition to the single room for accommodation, there is also a studio of nearly twenty square meters,

On the walls, in the corners, all kinds of paintings are piled up, and there are more unfinished than finished.

The air was filled with a certain studio-specific smell, a bit like diluted disinfectant.

A small desk in the corner, a reference book east and west,

The whole studio was in shambles.

My generation climbed onto the desk and lay down on the "throne" built with books, so comfortable that he "purred ~ purr ~".

Mondrian is sorry,

"Sorry, it's a bit raunchy."

Lu Shi waved his hand,

"It's okay."

He looked around, looking for works that made an impression of him, but found nothing.

Now Mondrian's abstraction is still in its infancy, so most of them are works of the Hague School, which is far from modern art.

And those experimental attempts, almost unfinished, are in a half-finished state.

Margarita muttered, "I...... Hmmm......"

Bite one's tongue.

Mondrian understood,

"Miss Margarita, I understand, you think they're ugly."

Margarita embarrassed,

"Ah......h

Lu Shi said: "Rita, you should understand that these attempts are very necessary. ”

The first time she was called a nickname by Lu Shi, Margarita's heart skipped a half-beat,

But she had to pretend that nothing was happening, trying to keep her composure, asking, "Why is it necessary?" ”

Lu Shi spread his hands,

"What's the use of painting like it? Have a photo like? ”

Margarita: "Huh? "With a bang,

As a result, he was about to speak, but was interrupted by Lu Shi: "I know, the current photo is not clear." But technology is evolving all the time, and within 20 years, things will change. ”

Kandinsky, who was on the side, nodded and said, "Moreover, from the perspective of printing and communication, photography also has more advantages than painting." ”

Margarita understood,

"That's why today's painters are going to take a different path."

Lu Shi waved his hand,

"You seem to be saying that the painters are escaping the competition with photography. Admittedly, this is a factor, but the main factor is to break the shackles of vision. ”

He pointed to one of Mondrian's paintings,

There was a tree painted on it, with bare branches twisted together,

It's a bit like Mondrian's masterpiece -

"The Gray Tree".

Lu Shi asked, "What is this painting called?" ”

Mondrian gave an unexpected answer: "Winter". It's not done yet. ”

Lu Shi looked at Margarita,

"Is there such a tree in reality?"

Margarita shook her head and said, "Of course not." The branches of the tree were so messy that they were almost woven into a spider's web. However, it does fit the name "Winter", because the painting is full of a solemn atmosphere. ”

Lu Shi nodded,

"So, on the one hand, painting can try to be real, to paint the existence that people see in front of their eyes; You can also draw the presence in people's minds and minds. ”

As he spoke, he turned to Mondrian,

"I bought this painting...... Not...... You ......, Mr. Mondrian."

Lu Shi quietly took a step back.

Because at this time, Mondrian was looking at him with an affectionate look,

It looks like a prisoner who has been in prison for ten years has just been released, and when he went to a bar to drink, he saw the 180-pound proprietress and had a kind of "sow racing sable cicada" fanaticism.

Mondrian said, "Professor Lu, I want to worship you as a teacher!" ”

It's the third time.

If he knew the rules of Chinese apprenticeship, he would definitely bow his head without hesitation.

Lu Shi is helpless,

"Let's talk about the price."

He picked a few more paintings,

They are all very stylized works, which are out of step with the mainstream.

When Mondrian met his confidant, he didn't want to collect money at all, and said: "Professor Lu, it's my honor to have a collector like you collect my paintings, how can I ...... it?"

Before the words fell, Kandinsky next to him shook his head at Mondrian again and again.

And Lu Shi also directly took out a wad of cash,

"You must take it!"

With gratitude in his eyes, Mondrian asked, "You're not afraid of losing money?" ”

How can you lose!?

Of course, it was impossible for Lu Shi to predict the future, so he said nonsense: "Mr. Mondrian, who is also a Dutch painter, you must know the story of Van Gogh." ”

Van Gogh's paintings were of great artistic value, but he could not sell a single one during his lifetime.

After his death, his brother-in-law compiled all the paintings, compiled the correspondence between Van Gogh and his brother and Van Gogh's stories into a book for publication, and also loaned Van Gogh's works to various exhibitions.

Van Gogh's paintings slowly became known and later sold for sky-high prices.

Mondrian said, "Professor Lu, I understand what you mean. But how can I compare myself to Mr. Van Gogh? ”

Lu Shi chuckled,

"I believe in you."

He shoved the money into the other person's hand,

"When the rain stops, you can send someone to the headquarters of the Mirror."

Lu Shi pulled the cat walking leash and left with Margarita.

Two people and a cat, come and go quickly.

Mondrian looked at the banknote in his hand, still with an incomprehensible feeling, and said, "This is real money, right?" ”

He nodded a little,

Fifty sheets, £20 denomination.

In other words, Lu Shi paid 1,000 pounds for a few paintings, a price that is not low even for a painter who has been famous for a long time.

Mondrian as in a dream,

"It's real money."

Kandinsky rolled his eyes and said, "That's not nonsense? Or have you never seen a £20 denomination? ”

In 1901, Britain even had a special 100 pound banknote, but this kind of banknote was extremely rare, because the face value was too large to spend at all.

In fact, even £10 notes are rare.

It's no wonder that Mondrian looks like he has never seen the world,

Lu Shi went out with so much money to his body, and he really let Mondrian cut his ass with a knife-

I opened my eyes.

He said, "No, I have to pay it back to Professor Lu!" ”

Kandinsky grabbed it,

"Just take it honestly! Don't you see? Professor Lu gives you money for a purpose! ”

Mondrian was puzzled,

"For what purpose?"

The corners of Kandinsky's mouth hooked an arc, revealing a smile that saw through everything,

"I remember you told me earlier that the creation of Jane Eyre comics is a novel division of labor, where Miss Margarita is in charge of the plot, the so-called 'original', and you are in charge of the drawing, the so-called 'original art'. Right? ”

Mondrian nodded,

"Yes."

Kandinsky sighed and said, "Why don't you understand yet?" For manga, is the 'original' or the 'original art' important? ”

Mondrian suddenly realized,

"Ah......h

Comics, of course, "drawing" is the most important thing!

So there is no "novel division of labor and cooperation" at all,

For Mondrian, he was using Margarita as a gun.

As the editor-in-chief of "Mirror", Lu Shi must know this.

As for the purpose of his money......

Mondrian's eyes flashed,

"Isn't it ......"

Lu Shi's behavior is a bit similar to that in college, a big bull who buys important papers makes his girlfriend a corresponding author and mixes SCI.

Kandinsky nodded,

"Yes, that's the 'Mo Fei'. I see, Professor Lu has a crush on Miss Margarita, so he spent a lot of money. Of course, he must have loved your paintings and decided to help generously. ”

Mondrian said, "Then I can't take it!" At least not so much! ”

As he spoke, he put on his coat and prepared to go out.

As a result, Kandinsky pressed Mondrian back and said, "Why are you an elm head, hey!" Can't you do such a romantic thing? ”

Mondrian scratched his head,

"But ......"

Kandinsky immediately interrupted: "Don't 'but'! There's nothing good about 'but'! ”

His gaze moved to the rain curtain outside,

"Professor Lu, this is picking up girls~"

……

In front of Tower Bridge.

Lu Shi looked at the suspended tower bridge and couldn't help but be speechless.

According to the maintenance workers, a ship passed just now, and the tower bridge was hoisted, but it turned out that it could not be put down.

Even though the sun never sets on Britain at the beginning of the 20th century, the quality of its engineering is the same as that of the modern crotch-pulling belt, which is quite tofu dregs.

Lu Shi complained: "I saw that the tower bridge was still good just now, why did the lifting system break down after a while." ”

Margarita was delighted,

"Walking around?"

She pointed at Tower Bridge Park with a slender jade finger.

Lu Shi was not very interested in walking in the rain, but since Her Royal Highness the princess had mentioned it, he could only accompany him.

The two walked along the river and in the park.

When Margarita looked at Lu with a sideways face, an indescribable and inexplicable emotion appeared in her heart, and she even had the urge to just walk in the rain with Professor Lu and go on as long as possible.

Unconsciously, Her Royal Highness smiled at the princess,

She looked at Lu Shi's side face,

Professor Lu, you must have the same idea, right?

Lu Shi was a little confused, seeing that the other party was smiling inexplicably, and asked, "Your Royal Highness Princess, are you ......?"

Margarita pouted,

"What did you just call me?"

Lu Shi was even more confused,

"I call you 'Her Royal Highness'? What's the problem? ”

Margarita was dissatisfied: "You called me 'Rita' just now? ”

Lu Shi: "......"

I don't even remember it anymore.

He touched his nose in embarrassment and continued the topic just now: "What are you thinking about smiling so happily?" ”

The smile on Margarita's face was even bigger,

"Same thing as you think."

Land Hours: ???

I couldn't figure out what I was thinking, and how did Margarita know?

Uncanny!

It's so weird!

Lu Shi didn't know what to say, so he could only remain silent.

Margarita continued, "Professor Lu, why did you buy Mr. Mondrian's work just now? And it's still a high price......"

Lu Shi glanced at the other party cautiously,

"As I should have said earlier, one is to appreciate Mr. Mondrian's innovation, and the other is to invest in art."

Swindler!

Margarita was convinced that Professor Lu did it for her.

What the original......

What is the original painting......

It's just rhetoric.

Margarita had never heard of comics and division of labor.

She muttered to herself, "Professor Lu, although you are not British, you are a pure gentleman. ”

Her Royal Highness the Princess used a little caution when she said this,

On the surface, she lowered her voice and muttered to herself;

In fact, she controlled the volume just right so that Professor Lu next to her could hear it.

Lu Shi was praised a little embarrassed and explained: "It's not a gentleman's demeanor. My purpose in buying Mr. Mondrian's paintings is very pure, not so complicated. ”

It's really not complicated,

He simply felt that Mondrian's works would inevitably increase in value in the future.

outcome

"I know!"

Margarita raised her head, looked at Lu, and said in a thin piped voice, "I know Professor Lu's purpose in buying paintings at a high price. I know...... How could I not know? ”

Her face was flushed,

Suddenly, she grimaced at Lu Shi,

It's a Phyllis-style action that exudes the girl's flair and quirkiness.

Lu Shi dizzy,

"Huh? What's wrong with me? ”

Margarita snorted lightly, and this time said in a voice that only she could hear: "Professor Lu, this is picking up girls~"

She turned and looked at Tower Bridge in the distance,

"It's fixed! Let's go! ”

(End of chapter)