Chapter 98
**Tzalmon Point of View**
The concept of looking at art from a foot distance and admire it from far is new to me.
This was one of the biggest halls in the city and I only now came to know that things like art displays and any other displays were done here.
When I entered the hall and saw the rows of paintings and other type of art displays on either sides with barricades in front of them, it could be said to be a new experience.
Art, back in the kingdom, was either presented to me or to the academies and some mysterious famous ones sell them through auction. This method of gathering art from different artists and displaying them for people for either viewing or purchasing is strange.
However, it was also a very good idea.
I stopped by the first picture that was hung on the right wall and looked at it. My brows creased and I squinted my eyes together to see what kind of painting it is.
Beside me, stood a young lady and a small child about three or four years old hardly. From my peripheral vision, I noticed that both of them are looking at the painting seriously as if they were in euphoria.
"It's so beautiful and meaningful, mommy." The little girl gasped, keeping her bright happy eyes still on the painting.
Meaningful?
Isn't it just three colors splashed on the paper carelessly? What meaning did the little girl see in it? Forget about it, why is this even placed here on display?
It's not like it is a painting of scenery, creature or any object?
Not able to hold it anymore, I turned the pair of mother and daughter and looked at the little girl pointedly. The mother noticed this and went stiff for a moment before picking up the girl and holding her in arms.
I narrowed my eyes at her in displeasure knowing too well that she was thinking of me as some kidnapper.
"Little girl, may I know what meaning did you see in the painting?" I ignored the mother and looked at the innocent little girl with much softer eyes.
As softer as I could!
The girl looked at me with a natural pout and tapped her finger on her chin before answering me. "The blue looks like water, the pink below it looks like water plants I saw in books and the yellow is like gold that daddy got for mommy."
Umm, okay if you look at it like that the colors did represent some very common elements of nature but color is color and it just represents everything we know of.
I tilted my head to her and she continued with a giggle. "It is like a treasure map telling me that I can find gold under the water where there are pink plants. Mommy, can I and daddy go to treasure hunting again, please!" The little girl cupped her mother's face in her little hands and kissed her all over her face as she pleaded for her permission.
"Alright, let's ask your daddy when he is free to take you." Saying, she took her daughter away to the next painting.
I stood there, in front of the same painting for ten more minutes trying to find a meaning to it but no matter how much I look at it, it still looks like the colors are just splashed on the paper without a care.
In these ten minutes, a few people passed by me expressing their own meanings looking at the painting and that was when I understood that I should come up with my own meaning and that too from something so absurd as this.
Such weird mindsets these mortals have! Truly alarming!
I walked through the first hallway and looked at different paintings, of which a few are truly artistic and unique. There was this one painting of person hanging legs up and head down but no matter from which angle we look at, it seems like he was standing properly on the floor but the picture was hung upside down.
The illusionary trick used in it was outstanding, the sketching skills that made it happen can be counted as topnotch, not to forget how perspective the whole art is.
Now, that was what I call exquisite.
"Excuse me," I called for one of the staff members standing at a little distance from me.
"Yes sir,"
"Is this piece up for buying?"
"Yes sir. There are already few who are interested in this piece and are currently discussing the price with the manager. The manager has the right to choose who to sell it to."
"I see; then lead me to your manager then." The person nodded and lead me to a counter where a middle aged man dressed neatly in suit with a badge hung on his chest on the left side of the jacket.
"Sir, he is interest in the piece L3025. This is the manager here and sir, this here is supposedly Mr. Ebernus." The Manager's eyes widened slightly and returned to their usual polite.
"Mr. Ebernus, who owns Thunders'. It's a pleasure to meet you in person, Mr. Ebernus. I'm Zan La Rocca, the manager and supervisor of the art displays of the Tucson city." I stretched his hand for a shake and I responded back without a hitch.
"Nice to meet you as well, Mr. La Rocca." I nodded curtly. "Is the piece I was interested in still up for sale?"
"Yes sir. Here are the details of the art and its price." Saying, he handed me a catalogue on which the details of the painting, the pseudonym of the artist and initial price in case of competition.
"ID? The artist name is ID? Could it be somehow related to ID Designs?" I asked randomly not expecting a concrete answer from him.
To them, confidentiality of their artists is most important thing.
"I'm sorry we cannot reveal anything about artists but the artist is young child and this was not a secret exactly. I can only say that."
A child?
What child can sketch something so deep and wise?
"A child, you say? May I know what might be the age of this child to be able to produce such a fine piece of art?"
"Um, although only handful of us know about it, it is still not a secret so I can say that the child is four year old."
Four years old?
My eyes widened expressing some doubt in what he said. A four year old child, a mortal child to produce such an art is nearly impossible.
Even a four year old supernatural child cannot do it. It is simply unheard of.
"The artist has a request Mr. Ebernus. The art piece is to be sold only to the one who could tell the meaning of the painting that either match with the artist's intentions or something that even surpassed that. Please provide me with your perspective on the art."
I looked at the print of the painting on the catalogue for a moment and gave it a thoughtful glance again. It was only now did I notice the name of the artist 'ID' is written on the bottom corner. The 'ID' was written in such a clever and artistic way that one would easily mistake it to be a part of painting.
Not real! A four year child to produce something like this - not real at all!
Before answering I thought back to the little girl who gave out her meaning on the first painting and smiled inwardly.
If the artist is really a four year child, then his point of view should be similar to that of his age group no matter how refined his skills are.
I smiled to myself briefly and answered, "Drinking alcohol is bad for your mind." The manager gave out an exaggerated expression this time.
He gaped at me with his mouth hanging down until it touched his balls. "That was exactly the artist wanted to present in the painting. That was amazing. After more than seventy plus people trying, you are the only person who was able to see through the deep and wise intentions of the artist."
Listening to him praise me, it felt more like shame than a praise. I mean, how hard is it to decipher a child?
Either the people before me didn't know that the artist was a child or they thought this child is a reincarnation of God of wisdom himself!
"That's good. Then can I buy it for the initial price mentioned on the catalogue?"
"Of course Mr. Ebernus. Please follow me to make the payment." I followed him and paid a few thousand dollars more than the price telling him to hand over the extra money, a book and the note I wrote to the artist.
'The extra money is for you to get yourself a toy of your choice. The book is my personal collection. It's for you to know more about art. - TSE'
I handed over the book I brought with me from kingdom and the note to the manager which he took with a bright smile and nodded his head vigorously telling me he would do it.
With the painting bought, I proceeded to the second floor to see if I could find anymore good art pieces or better someone I was hoping to meet.
**~*~*~*~*~*~
Hello Sweeties,
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