Chapter 1707: The Famous Painter Solan
"I suppose so." Xu Huo took a sip of tea and turned his head to look out the window. On the wall across the street was a graffiti painting, depicting the backs of two elderly men walking side by side. The painting was simple, done with just a few strokes, yet it was very vivid.
Of course, it was just an ordinary graffiti. The reason it could make passing tourists stop was entirely because of the "Solan Painting" sign standing next to it.
"Did Master Solan paint many paintings in this town?" Xu Huo asked casually.
The boss nodded with a smile, "Before young Solan officially started painting, she would just paint whatever she saw, regardless of technique or style. She painted the way others painted. She only officially started oil painting at the age of twenty, painted for ten years to become famous, and all her later works were very popular, even driving up the value of her pre-fame pieces."
As he spoke, he pressed the watch-type terminal on his wrist and showed Xu Huo the photos he had taken, "These are a few I've seen with my own eyes."
Xu Huo looked carefully and listened to his thoughts on the paintings before saying, "These paintings seem a bit different when viewed from different angles."
"You've hit the nail on the head," the boss said. "In recent years, there's been a trend of using flowing pigments. They say experts can use this kind of pigment to create the feeling of living things. I've seen it—it's nothing more than tampering with the pigment to prevent the painting from solidifying for a short time. The more skilled ones can even simulate the movement of a person blinking. But what's the point? If we want to see moving paintings, why not just watch a holographic movie?"
"A painting is a painting. It's fixed on paper and canvas."
"But young Solan's paintings are different. Look at the people she painted. No matter which angle you look from, the eyes of the figures in the painting seem to be meeting your gaze." The boss pointed to a portrait painting. "Especially this one, 'Smile.' Every time I look at it, I feel his emotions are different."
The 'Smile' he referred to depicted an elderly man covering his mouth. Because the lower half of his face was hidden, the focus was on his eyes. At first glance, the painting only gave the feeling that the old man was crying tears of joy, with what seemed like tears in his eyes. But upon closer inspection, one felt that the emotions of the figure in the painting shouldn't be so singular. Similarly, viewing it from different angles led to different interpretations of the figure's feelings.
This painting didn't move. The reason it could make different people feel different emotions was mainly due to the painter's superb skill and deep understanding of human facial micro-expressions. Therefore, whether this painting was interpreted as joy, sadness, or other emotions, it could be valid, depending on the viewer's perspective and life experience.
Just looking at this one painting revealed Master Solan's mastery in the art of painting, and it was no wonder every one of her paintings could sell for a high price.
"This painting is very touching. Even someone like me, with limited life experience, can feel something," Xu Huo said, then looked back across the street. "I just didn't expect that Master Solan, with such rich emotions, could also have such a childlike side."
The boss laughed again. "Even the most accomplished adult was once a child who grew up. When young Solan first came to my shop to buy bread, she couldn't even push the door open. She got so frustrated that she used too much force, and the door bounced her back, making her sit on the ground. I thought she was going to cry, but instead, she patted the dust off her pants, stood up, and told the door not to do that again."
Xu Huo found it very interesting. "So that's why you don't close the door now."
"Yes," the boss said. "That was actually young Solan's suggestion. She said just because the people paying for bread are adults, you shouldn't ignore children's feelings. The reason eyes can move is that people need to look up and also look down."
Xu Huo raised an eyebrow slightly. "Very insightful."
"Indeed," the boss's affection for Solan was evident. "She was less than two years old then. She was so cute when she said that."
"It's a pity she only lived to be a little over a hundred. She left even earlier than an old thing like me."
Although he had already learned about Solan's life in advance, Xu Huo still responded, "Master Solan only officially started painting at twenty, yet she created over a thousand works in her lifetime. Calculating it, she must have painted almost every month, and every piece was a masterpiece. She was truly a rare genius."
Based on this data, it sounded like a fantasy.
Solan became famous at thirty, and every subsequent painting was sought after and sold for very high prices. These weren't practice sketches or bridges for some shady transaction. Every one of her paintings was recognized by others, and she wasn't limited to a single subject. She was proficient in almost all subjects and could convey intense personal emotions.
Painting itself might not be that difficult, but the difficulty lies in the conception of the painting, and even more so in maintaining such high productivity over decades or nearly a century. The word 'genius' seemed somewhat dim in her presence.
However, the thoughts Xu Huo had were questioned decades ago. Some even used reporting methods to force Solan to prove that the paintings she sold were painted by her own hand. Although this incident ended with Solan publicly demonstrating her painting process and producing several new works, it was enough to show that even in Zone 019, which was full of Evolvers, people doubted that this was something a human could achieve.
In Zone 019, robots and specially developed painting instruments possessed superb painting skills, effortlessly handling any subject. However, all those who appreciated and purchased paintings believed that while machine-made things were exquisite, they lacked emotion and couldn't compare to Solan's paintings. Some of her works could even make people cry on the spot—this was the so-called spiritual resonance.
"Probably a different kind of brain evolution," the boss was quite rational on this topic. "Everyone drinks Evolution Agent, but different people get different results. Young Solan was the type who was especially good at painting."
That was right. Under the premise that everyone had become an Evolver, geniuses were no longer rare.
"Why did Master Solan choose oil painting?" Xu Huo asked. "I think her graffiti is beautiful too."
"I don't know about that," the boss recalled. "It seems she suddenly fell in love with oil painting. She used to be able to paint on a picked-up stone."
Having chatted enough, Xu Huo picked up the wrapped bread and left the small shop, continuing on his way.
The tour group that had just arrived was stopped in front of a stone carved with flowers. The guide's passionate voice could be heard saying, "This stone was brought back from the wild by Master Solan when she was ten years old. At that time, she and her friends from the town went to play in the mountains and happened to encounter a rockslide. Although this stone didn't hit them, it still had a certain impact on Master Solan."
"After thinking for three days, she moved the stone back to the town and, together with her friends, carved these flowers. She believed that if the stone were left in its original place, every time she recalled the memory, she would only feel fear. But by bringing the stone back and carving flowers on it, the stone would no longer be scary, and the terrible memories would fade away. This is the famous Solan quote—'Cover fear with beauty, and people will have the courage to face fear countless times.'"
"Master Solan was such a warm person," a tourist said.
(End of Chapter)