Chapter 1559 Exchange and Collection
“The origin of my art collection can actually be traced back to my college days. I studied industrial design at Illinois Institute of Technology, and I have been interested in art since then.” Luo Zhongrong started chatting while leading Zhou Zhi and others to appreciate the collections in the museum.
“After working, I have been paying close attention to the development of the art market. At first I just bought some European and American prints, and later I also bought some European, American and Southeast Asian oil paintings. As for the first Chinese calligraphy and painting, it should be in 19 "In 1977," Luo Zhongrong recalled the first collection of Chinese calligraphy and painting works, and he couldn't help but laugh: "It was a landscape strip screen by Wu Dachang. After meeting my wife, I asked her to watch it, and she thought the work was unreliable at the time. "
"Hahaha..." Zhou Zhi found it funny. The entry standards for this industry are really low. Basically, as long as you have money. Yes, but it is extremely difficult not to take medicine after entering the industry. It requires abundant funds, profound education, broad connections, considerable background, unique vision, and even the right time, place and people.
“After meeting my wife, my collection was on the right track.” Faced with Zhou Zhi’s laughter, Luo Zhongrong was very calm: “That’s when I started to get involved in high-end auctions. .”
Zhou Zhi nodded: "In the 1980s, the auctions of Chinese paintings and calligraphy on Hong Kong Island were already relatively active, and it was a good time for the virtuous couple."
"My wife thinks it is better to buy paintings and calligraphy from the auction house, and there are more opportunities. Some kind of To the extent that she can check the authenticity issue, Luo Zhongrong said with a smile: "She has many more friends in this area than me. She is friends with several senior executives of Guardian, such as Mr. Mao. , was the earliest Chinese calligraphy and painting appraiser of Guardian, and it was because of her face that she came to our Mei Jie Building as a consultant.”
“But you also know that the most distressing thing for collectors is, It’s just beyond my ability.”
Zhou Zhi said in his heart, Lao Luo, you are so right. For example, I have been begging for Zhang Daqian’s large splash-color landscape painting for so many years, and only now I have a chance.
“China has thousands of years of civilization and tradition. No matter how rich a collector is, he cannot cover them all. He can only choose a certain angle, aspect, a certain history or certain categories to delineate. Only in this way can we create the characteristics and advantages of our own collection. Zhou Zhi said: "Unless it's like Anzai and Fujita in the island country, or people like Ellsworth in North America, Umouf Palestine in England, Mr. and Mrs. Clark, Sir David, and the Parma family, they start very early. Only individuals and families who start collecting Chinese art can do so.”
"I was born too late, but Mr. Luo got up too late."
"The main reason is that the business had not picked up at that time." Luo Zhongrong said: "When I got a little money later, I started working in ancient paintings But there are not many opportunities left.”
“So my wife set a collection route. We focused on the works of the past two centuries, especially the famous paintings of the 20th century, and focused on traditional Chinese paintings. , calligraphy, oil painting, printmaking and sketching as the system, among which We also use Chinese paintings as the mainstay to establish our Mei Jie Lou collection system.”
“With the right approach, we can indeed get twice the result with half the effort.” Zhou Zhi admired Mrs. Luo: “The ink painting collection system of the 20th century. Lady's The vision and courage are really admirable.”
“It took a lot of exploration at the beginning,” Luo Zhongrong said: “The collection was not fixed at the beginning. The main thing was to look at the paintings first and then the painter. ”
"Later on, as time goes by, just like our tastes, they will continue to change. As I collect for a long time, I see more of each painter's works, and my taste develops."
"Now I I prefer Qi Baishi, Li Keran, Lu Yanshao, Zhang Daqian, Wu Hufan, and a Hong Kong painter Lui Shou Kun." Luo Zhongrong said: "It's such a pity. I heard that there was a Wu Hu sail and a Zhang Daqian in the cultural relics store in Shanghai, so my wife went to buy it, but she just called back and said that it had been bought by someone. Let’s go for a run.”
Zhou Zhi secretly thought it was a fluke and had to hand it over: “I don’t dare to agree. Hi, Mr. Luo from the cultural relics store in Shanghai and I have a very good relationship. Some time ago, we were grateful to receive a batch of good items. In addition to the eighteen pieces of jade, there are also Fu Baoshi's "Lanting Scroll" and Huang Binhong's "Mountain Journey". "Scroll of Pictures" and "Scroll of Two Galloping Horses" by Xu Beihong. "
After finishing speaking, Nan smiled and said: ""Linguo" by Wu Hufan. "Xiyougu Picture Scroll" and Zhang Daqian's "Zhuxi Seeking Picture Scroll" are also among them. "Ah?" This time it was Luo Zhongrong's turn to be stunned, then smiled bitterly and shook his head: "Mainland collectors are becoming more and more powerful. The opportunities to get good works are really becoming less and less.”
"It's obvious that you have been taking advantage of it for too long." Zhou Zhi expressed dissatisfaction: "In order to earn foreign exchange, how many good things did the country transfer from the National Expo? They all benefited you and the merchants from Taiwan."
"Guang Ten thousand pieces of copper furnaces were approved at one time. There are also porcelain from Jingdezhen and purple clay from Yixing. Which ones have been scraped and cleaned by you?" The more he talked about it, the angrier he became: "For example, the pots made by Gongchun, Shi Dabin, and Chen Mingyuan, I asked the Jiangsu Provincial Cultural Relics Store to look for them. It’s all gone!”
"In fact, in these categories, Zhou Sheng could have followed the path of our Mei Jie Lou and moved the collection of famous artists to modern times..."
Zhou Zhi smiled and said: "That's true, I followed the 'Mansheng Eighteen Styles' and collected them from Zisha No.1 Factory I got a set of 'Eighteen Styles' by Master Gu and his disciples, which can be considered comforting."
Gu Jingzhou is still alive now. Although he no longer makes purple clay pots by himself, he still has some exquisite products in his hands. In stock, and prices haven’t risen significantly yet.
The arts and crafts circle in the province is actually much smaller than the calligraphy and painting circle. Zhou Zhi used his relationship with the masters of the jade carving factory to entrust him to Yixing Factory No. 1, hoping to find a work by Master Gu.
In the 1980s, the pots made by the masters were extremely cheap. Jiang Rong’s flower pots had complicated craftsmanship and could be sold for 28 yuan each. Gu Jingzhou’s Hanyun pot was only priced at 25 yuan, which is equivalent to ordinary For a worker's monthly salary, ordinary cadres like Dad can afford it if they want to.
It was not until 1988 that Gu Jingzhou became the first Chinese arts and crafts master in Yixing, and Taiwanese and Hong Kong people began to hype purple clay, and his pots began to sell for about 200,000 each.
This is already the price of a Santana, and it is no longer something that ordinary people can ask about.
And this is still inland. At an auction on Hong Kong Island, a Gu's purple clay teapot once sold for HKD 600,000.
However, it is still a standout, and the works of other masters have not become popular.
Master Gu spared no effort for the art of purple clay and agreed to transfer a good teapot to him, but he put a condition that he would buy a set together, including his apprentice and the rest of the purple clay factory. Masters' set of pots.
In order to seduce Zhou Zhi, Master Gu also spent a lot of money. The stone ladle he took out was handmade by him, with paintings by Jiang Hanting and poems by Wu Hufan. A total of five were made at that time, and they are still available today. This is all I found.
The price offered was not something Zhou Zhi could refuse at all. A set of eighteen pieces of famous purple clay porcelain from Mansheng cost 400,000 yuan.
(End of this chapter)