Ding! Detecting that the host is about to portray the target character, ‘Famous Painter Xu Beihong’. Congratulations to the host for becoming a true master painter.
Congratulations to the host for mastering all painting techniques, ancient and modern, Chinese and foreign.
Congratulations to the host for mastering the four perfections: poetry, calligraphy, painting, and seal carving.
Half an hour later.
When Chen Feng put on his costume according to Lao Mouzi's instructions, and even had a simple makeup applied by the makeup artist who had arrived, the prompt in his mind also sounded.
The role was in hand.
As he immersed himself in the role, Chen Feng transformed, his entire demeanor and style directly embodying Xu Beihong in his younger years.
Even his eyes changed.
A scholar's integrity that could not be hidden beneath a calm exterior.
The Republican Era style instantly emerged.
Everyone in the private room was stunned.
This feeling...
Why was the change so sudden?
Why did he feel like a completely different person after putting on makeup?
His temperament, his gaze, his facial expressions, his walking posture, including the charm in his brows, all completely transformed him into someone else.
Wasn't this uncanny?
Lao Mouzi was also surprised.
No matter how Teacher Huang and Jiang Wen praised Chen Feng, or even showed him his past performance videos, Lao Mouzi remained unmoved.
At most, he would offer a couple of compliments.
Because he only trusted his own judgment.
Young actors overly praised by others, in his opinion, might be even worse.
This was a cognitive bias.
However, when Chen Feng appeared in his changed attire, Lao Mouzi was completely shocked.
He walked up to Chen Feng, examined him carefully for a couple of turns, then suddenly waved towards the outside: "Come, come, find someone to bring a drawing board. Also, prepare brushes, ink, and an inkstone. Chen Feng, do a demonstration for us."
"Alright."
Chen Feng nodded cheerfully.
Soon, a drawing board, easel, and brushes were all ready.
Lao Mouzi stepped back two paces, found the right angle with a professional posture, and said to Chen Feng, "You can start. Try to find the state of painting."
Chen Feng didn't make a sound.
He had already sat in front of the drawing board.
He seemed completely immersed.
First, he moistened the brush, then prepared the ink.
With the paper laid out, Chen Feng professionally measured the distances on the paper, then reached for the brush and actually began to paint.
At first, everyone thought he was just doodling.
Anyway, Lao Mouzi only wanted to see his artistic flair and feeling when painting.
But as they watched, everyone's mouths dropped open.
Their jaws were practically on the floor.
Holy cow!
He's painting a horse?
Chen Feng is really painting a horse?
That technique, that brushwork, that feeling of wielding the brush and splashing ink...
Lao Mouzi initially focused on his overall demeanor, but as he watched, his eyes were drawn to the ink painting on the drawing board.
Good heavens!
Isn't this Xu Beihong's "Eight Steeds in Spring Pasture"?
Lao Mouzi was dumbfounded.
In fact, he truly had a treasured copy of "Eight Steeds" at home, and he was also a lover of painting.
When he bought it, the seller swore it was genuine.
He even had someone specially appraise it.
Lao Mouzi didn't know if it was truly authentic, but he had paid a hefty price for it.
Over the years, he had seen it countless times.
He knew every detail of the "Eight Steeds" painting like the back of his hand.
So, Lao Mouzi slowly walked behind Chen Feng and carefully examined his painting.
Shock!
The ink washes in the painting were all applied according to the horse's physical structure, with varying shades of ink, both expressing the horse's form and not affecting the ink's charm.
It was Master Xu's brushwork.
"Eight Steeds" used splashed ink and freehand style, or a combination of meticulous and freehand, to create horses of diverse poses, elegant and unrestrained.
Some were galloping and leaping, some turned their heads and neighed, some soared into the air.
It held high collection value and cultural and artistic appreciation value!
Lao Mouzi stared fixedly from behind for a long time, becoming more and more alarmed the more he looked, and more and more convinced that the piece he owned at home was a fake.
The unfinished painting before him was the real deal.
Because, looking at the painting before him, there was always a feeling that the fiery horses in the painting were about to gallop out, to leap off the paper.
But the one at home had never given him that feeling.
Wasn't this uncanny?
The others also exchanged glances.
Especially someone like Teacher Huang, who prided himself on being cultured; his ability to appreciate calligraphy and painting was higher than that of ordinary people.
Teacher Huang was also dumbfounded.
This level of skill could be called masterful.
Chen Feng?
Did he paint it?
Even seeing Chen Feng's hand wielding the brush and splashing ink with his own eyes, it was still hard to believe.
More than an hour later.
Chen Feng finally stopped painting.
He even added a signature at the end.
The brushwork was exactly the same as Xu Beihong's writing habits, without the slightest deviation.
Aside from the lack of a seal, this was practically done by Xu Beihong himself.
Chen Feng put down his brush.
He looked back at Lao Mouzi behind him, also stepping out of character, and asked with a smile, "Director Zhang, do you think my feeling is alright?"
"Huh?"
Lao Mouzi was startled.
"My feeling for the young Master Xu? Is it up to par?"
"..."
Lao Mouzi quickly straightened his body.
Good heavens!
He had been so engrossed in the painting just now that he completely forgot about the character.
He reorganized his thoughts, then took a deep breath and said, "Chen Feng, this feeling is good, at least I appreciate it very much. Qualified, very qualified. I think the role of young Master Xu is perfect for you."
"Thank you for your recognition, Director Zhang."
Chen Feng reached out his hand.
The two shook hands solemnly.
Behind them, several investors exchanged glances.
One must know that Lao Mouzi's pickiness was the most exaggerated in the industry.
For him to choose an actor, the casting alone could take several years.
Today, this curse was finally broken.
Chen Feng was the fastest confirmed actor ever.
Unbelievable!
Finally, everyone returned to the dinner table and sat down.
Lao Mouzi couldn't help but wonder, looking at Chen Feng and asking, "Have you studied painting before?"
"When I was an extra, I met some painters, so I dabbled in it at home in my free time."
Chen Feng casually made something up.
Lao Mouzi's eyebrows twitched, and he pointed to the "Eight Steeds" nearby: "You... you've copied Master Xu's "Eight Steeds", haven't you?"
"Yes."
"Alright, young man, very good."
Lao Mouzi shook his head and murmured, "Your skill in copying is superb."
"You flatter me."
Chen Feng replied modestly.
Afterward, everyone began chatting, one after another.
This chat lasted for more than two hours.
...
Finally, the dinner party ended.
Jiang Wen and Chen Feng agreed on the start date for filming, then he quickly left with Song Yi.
Chen Feng also finalized the character contract with Lao Mouzi.
After the discussions were settled, he found Liu Boguang and returned to the studio together to continue filming today's extra scenes.
Lao Mouzi and the others were the last to leave.
Before leaving, Lao Mouzi kept staring at the painting on the drawing board.
Finally, he had someone carefully remove and wrap it. After separating from the others with the painting, he flew back to Yanjing that afternoon.
Upon returning to the capital, he first went to an antique street.
He secretly found an old collector he had known for many years and asked him to look at the "Eight Steeds" Chen Feng had painted.
When the painting was spread out.
The old gentleman let out an exclamation as soon as he saw it: "Hey, isn't this... Master Xu's "Eight Steeds"? Director Zhang, did you find the original... Wait, no?"
"This ink fragrance... why does it smell like it was just painted not long ago?"
"And this signature, where's the seal?"
"This paper isn't right either."
The old gentleman circled the painting, his face full of disbelief.
Finally, Lao Mouzi leaned close to him and whispered, "Old sir, do you think this painting resembles Master Xu's work, right?"
The old gentleman stared intently at the painting, saying distractedly, "It doesn't just resemble it, this... this is Master Xu's work."
"From my many years of experience studying this, this painting is practically painted by Master Xu himself."
"Look here, this is one of Master Xu's little habits."
"And look here, Master Xu's genuine works usually hide some patterns he personally likes within the painting."
"Not many people know this secret."
"I can say without exaggeration that even Master Xu's descendants might not know this secret."
"But I know it."
"This... this is Master Xu's work."
Lao Mouzi: "..."
Wasn't this uncanny?