Artifact Reading Inspector

Chapter 40: Eric Holton’s Collection (2)

As Eric was extremely rich, Haejin expected that his basement would be a gallery. So, when Eric opened the door, he was quite disappointed to see the not so big space and the few works of art.

However, the moment he saw the painting at the front, he knew why Eric Holton was so confident.

“Wow… it’s a very beautiful painting. It’s like a princess of the medieval times is standing right in front of me.”

The lady had determined expression, she looked tough and wise.

“It is the most prized painting among my collection. Ordinary people would say that it is the most expensive. What do you think…”

Eric was about to say something, but Haejin couldn’t help but exclaim.

“da Vinci… a painting from Leonardo da Vinci…”

Eric Holton laughed.

“Hahaha! My God, you said the name before I even told you… this is a first. I knew you would recognize it! I knew it! Maybe it was only natural as you have recognized Tom Keating’s forgery. Hahaha!”

Eric was delighted and clapped while Eunhae frowned.

“Earlier, you spoke as if you didn’t have any da Vinci’s painting. Were you trying to test Mr. Haejin?”

“Haejin? Is his name Haejin? It’s so hard to pronounce. Yes, I set a trap.”

“Why?”

Eunhae’s voice was full of displeasure. Eric smiled and crossed his arms.

“Because it’s fun. You see… I don’t really trust the words of the appraisers, critics and the powerful people of the art world. They always use their tongues for money. They pretend to know much when they, in fact, know so little.”

He talked like Tom Keating. Anyway, Haejin really didn’t feel bad about his prank. He didn’t have any ill will but was expressing the thoughts he usually had while collecting artifacts.

“Actually, that is true.”

“Right? I thought you would understand me. No one has said this painting is da Vinci’s first, till now.”

“Even if it was shown to the public, it wouldn’t be recognized as da Vinci’s easily…”

Haejin’s argument didn’t make Eric lose his smile.

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“I think so, too. However, I believe this is da Vinci’s painting. You might think I am being too confident in front of the man who revealed Tom Keating’s forgery, but I am so sure because of a record.”

He pointed at the corner of the painting’s background.

“You see the fingerprint there? I tracked it, and it was exactly the same with da Vinci’s fingerprint imprinted in the Basilica di San Pietro.”

With that kind of evidence, it would be hard to say that the painting was not da Vinci’s.

“And, even I know that it is hard to make a fake with vellum. So, this cannot be a fake. Right?”

Vellum was a word for high-quality parchments.

Before paper of good quality was invented, vellum was used for documents and paintings. However, forgers didn’t prefer vellum as it was hard to make it craquelure (phenomenon where the oil painting starts to crack because of time. It exists in all old paintings) naturally on vellum.

Of course, forgers with exceptional skills like Tom Keating, Han van Meegeren and Eric Herburn could forge using vellum, but acquiring vellum that was made in the 16 th century was a hard task on its own.

So, with paintings drawn on vellum, instead of canvas, people usually presume that it might have been drawn by someone else in the past other than the artist. They would not even think that it is a fake. For instance, experts might think that it might have been drawn by da Vinci’s apprentice instead of da Vinci himself.

In other words, it might be an imitation rather than a fake.

If it hadn’t been for the fingerprint stamped in the background, this would be the most possible theory.

However, as the fingerprint was there, it would be right to think that it was da Vinci’s painting.

“Yes. I think it would be right to call it real.”

Haejin wanted to use magic. Not to determine the painting’s authenticity, but to see da Vinci with his eyes through magic.

What would the legendary genius look like? When did he make this painting and what kind of habits did he have when drawing? Haejin wanted to find out so many things.

Actually, he couldn’t be sure if he could use magic now. Unlike before, the aftereffect of using magic wasn’t so big, and he could walk around and drink alcohol without feeling dizzy. However, the thought of using magic twice in a day scared Haejin.

“Hahaha! You are right! Oh, and I also have a Korean artifact, let me show you.”

Haejin was surprised once again. As Eric had a painting of none other than da Vinci, that Korean artifact couldn’t be something common.

“Is it a painting? Or porcelain? Or a statue of a buddha?”

Unlike the excited Haejin, Eunhae couldn’t take her eyes off from da Vinci’s painting. Compared to the other great artists, da Vinci had left few paintings. So, getting a chance to see his painting so closely and in details didn’t come often, so Haejin didn’t think she was acting strangely.

However, Eric Holton had different ideas. He smiled to see Eunhae.

“Lady, you really love paintings.”

“Oh, yes, I do.”

“Haejin, I find this curiosity of yours quite interesting. You are so excited to hear about a Korean artifact even though there is a da Vinci in front of you… honestly, as an American, I… envy that a little.”

He shrugged and went deeper into the exhibition. Haejin then saw an eastern painting that was hung on the furthest side of the wall.

“This…”

“It’s been about four years. A Korean American wanted to donate this to museum, but I convinced him and bought it from him. He didn’t want to hand over this painting to an individual. I offered him five million dollars at the time, but he didn’t even blink an eye.”

“Well… if he wanted the money, he would have put it on auction.”

“Yes. So, I kept convincing him. I told him something and he started to change his mind. I said if he donated it to the museum, this painting would never go back to Korea.”

That was only half right. Selling it to an individual would mean the painting would never return to Korea unless the owner changed his mind.

On the other hand, donating it to a museum could have made it possible for it to be returned through an agreement between the two nations. So, Eric Holton meant that he planned to give up that painting when he bought it.

“Then, he sold it?”

“With one condition. He asked me to sell it if a Korean will offer to buy it at the same price I did. So, I gave him my words and five million dollars.”

At this, Haejin studied the painting once again. Was this painting worth five million dollars? The moment he looked into it, he knew the answer. It was.

“That hundred thousand dollars you promised me, you don’t have to give it to me. However, can I buy this in installments?”

Eric found it hilarious and couldn’t stop himself from laughing.

“Hahaha! In installments? It’s not like this is a car. I’ve never heard of leasing a painting.”

“Whose painting is this?” Eunhae, who had finished watching da Vinci’s painting, asked.

It caught her attention as Haejin was interested enough to try to buy that painting.

“It is Danwon, Kim Hongdo’s.”

“What? Kim Hongdo?”

Sadly, most of the paintings of the great Korean artists like Kim Hongdo and Shin Yoonbok were abroad. They must have left the country for different reasons, but the experts don’t argue about the fact that most of them were stolen or exploited rather than sold.

“Yes, his nom de plume, Danwon, is written here. The signature is also Kim Hongdo’s as well. There’s also the style of drawing straight with a touch of the brush.”

“Yes, but… five million dollars is too…”

Eunhae was saying that the price was too high. Of course, on auction, the price could be even higher with a good flow but, for a deal between individuals, it was quite expensive.

Eunhae thought it was too much for Haejin as he had little money.

However, Haejin had to get this painting. The original owner had sold it at five million dollars and had told Eric to sell it only to someone who was willing to pay that price because he wanted it to be sold to someone who understood and loved it.

As Haejin now knew about it, he couldn’t leave this painting behind.

“Hoo… but you must know a hundred thousand dollars is only the down payment of this painting. Even though you have helped me earlier, I cannot sell it in installments…”

Eric was neither smiling nor feeling uncomfortable. Haejin could see that it was not absolutely impossible.

“If Mr. Haejin doesn’t pay you, I will. So, you don’t have to worry about it.”

Eunhae tried to help, but Eric smiled and shook his head.

“No, I don’t let a third person get in the middle of money problem. It makes matters complicated. So, I don’t want to make this a matter of trust. I don’t want to lose a friend because of money.”

Eric thought about it. Haejin quickly looked around. He could have argued that he had stopped Eric from losing ten million dollars, but now Eric had the upper hand.

The past wouldn’t help Haejin negotiate. He could only hope Eric would count that. To negotiate, Haejin had to find something that would change Eric’s mind. Now.

Then, he spotted a painting. It was the painting of a huge lady with crossed arms looking forward with a somewhat angry expression.

Her clothes were very luxurious, but her rumpled hair and angry face said that there was a story. It was not a mere portrait.

“Okay. Then, let’s make a deal.”

“A deal?”

Eric showed interest. Haejin turned to him and looked into his eyes.

“I won’t give you five million dollars. Instead, I will find you a flaw in your collection.”

“You will find a flaw?”

“You must think your collection is perfect, but I don’t think so. If anyone asks me about your collection, I don’t think I would be able to say it is flawless.”

“So?”

That could sound offensive, but Eric didn’t seem offended at all. His smile became even wider.

“I will get rid of that flaw so, in exchange, give me Kim Hongdo’s painting.”

“Are you going to take in and sell it?”

“No, it will be part of Park Haejin’s Collection later.”

“Hahaha! It turns out you are my great rival. Okay. I will have to make my collection flawless to win against a great rival. I accept the deal.”

Eric easily accepted, just as Haejin had thought. He didn’t want the money for the painting.

“Good.”

Haejin turned around and pointed at the painting of the mad lady.

“You believe that this painting is fake, right?”

At that moment, Eric’s face hardened for the first time.