Rebirth 93: Break off the engagement at the beginning and marry Bai Fumei

This sensational art forgery case quickly escalated after Pierre's exposure, with more and more collectors who had purchased so-called "masterpieces" from the Noller Gallery coming forward. After rigorous authentication by professional institutions, a shocking truth emerged: these priceless artworks were all forgeries!

This massive fraud, spanning two decades, ultimately implicated over sixty wealthy victims, with the staggering amount of money involved exceeding eighty million US dollars. This event not only shook the very foundations of the art market but also prompted a re-examination of every aspect of art collecting and authentication.

This sensational art fraud case quickly caught the attention of the FBI, who assembled an elite task force to launch a lightning-fast investigation. Within just two weeks, the task force uncovered three key figures. The mastermind, Carlos, was a shrewd and worldly-wise middle-aged man; the sales manager, Rosales, was a capable and shrewd career woman. This partnership worked seamlessly together, executing the fraud plan flawlessly.

Surprisingly, the third suspect turned out to be Qian Peishen, an elderly artist from China. This seemingly honest and unassuming man possessed breathtakingly exquisite painting skills. The FBI quickly determined that Carlos and Rosales were responsible for the sales process, while Qian Peishen was the creator of these ingenious forgeries.

However, this sensational case ended unexpectedly. The shrewd and cunning Rosales surrendered without resistance when the FBI pulled the rug out from under her, her mansion, sports cars, and other assets were confiscated, and she was sentenced to nine months in prison. Meanwhile, the cunning Carlos, having already sensed something amiss, fled to Spain with the money. There, he hired a persuasive lawyer and successfully evaded extradition by feigning a serious illness, leaving the FBI helpless. This cunning man lived a life of luxury and extravagance in Spain.

The most heartbreaking case is that of Qian Peishen. This exceptionally skilled elderly painter was identified as a victim of the entire scam during the FBI investigation. It turned out he was simply commissioned to create art, completely unaware that his work was being sold at exorbitant prices. Under Carlos and Rosales's meticulously planned scheme, the old man became a pawn in their game, creating breathtaking forgeries for them without receiving a single penny. Because he didn't profit from it, he remained unscathed.

Qian Peishen's story begins on a cold New Year's morning in 1979. That day, the exhibition hall of the Shanghai Children's Palace was bustling with people; an unprecedented exhibition of ethnic paintings was underway. The walls of the hall were covered with oil paintings and watercolors, each telling a story of the artist's unique understanding of art. Among the many works, one group stood out—the work of Qian Peishen. His world possessed both the fluidity of traditional ink painting and the richness of Western oil paint; this bold cross-disciplinary attempt was considered groundbreaking at the time.

Within half a day of the exhibition's opening, the number of visitors had exceeded four figures. People lingered in front of Qian Peishen's paintings for a long time, whispering in amazement. Even some highly respected senior figures in the art world were drawn to the exhibition, gazing at the works with admiring eyes.

“This young man is extraordinary,” an elderly painter with white hair exclaimed. “He has shattered our preconceived notions about art.”

This unexpected success completely changed Qian Peishen's life trajectory. He and several other participating painters quickly became the focus of media attention, hailed as "pioneers of the new era of art." Qian Peishen's paintings, with their unique perspective and bold expressive techniques, sparked a small revolution in the art world. Critics vied to interpret the profound meaning contained in his works, praising him as a "pioneering figure who broke the shackles of tradition."

However, success did not stop Qian Peishen. On the contrary, he felt increasingly inadequate. Whenever he stood before the canvas, he felt that there was still a wider world waiting to be explored. After careful consideration, he made a bold decision—to go to the United States for further studies. In his view, only by going to the forefront of art could he truly break through his limitations.

With this ambition, he packed his bags and set foot on American soil with only a meager $50. This amount wouldn't even fill a tooth in bustling New York, but for Qian Peishen at the time, it was all his savings. Accompanying him was the later renowned master Chen Danqing; both men shared a sincere passion for art, yet were forced to confront the harsh realities of life.

In New York, Qian Peishen lived an almost ascetic life. His "luxury lunch" consisted of cheap instant noodles, and he had to be frugal with his dinners, fearing that one day he wouldn't even be able to afford such a small meal. Yet, despite these hardships, he persisted in pursuing his artistic dreams. He left early and returned late every day, shuttling between libraries and art museums, diligently absorbing the essence of Western art.

However, ideals are often far from reality. Instant noodles alone couldn't cover his studies, forcing Qian Peishen to seek various ways to make a living. He first worked washing dishes in a restaurant kitchen, working over ten hours a day, but didn't even receive basic wages. Later, he was swindled out of several weeks' worth of earnings by a so-called "Chinese agent." These experiences made him realize the cruelty of society.

Ultimately, he chose to paint portraits on the street. This not only provided a living but also allowed him to continue practicing his art. Every day, he would take his painting tools and stand on the bustling street, waiting for potential customers. Although the income was meager, it at least allowed him to continue pursuing his artistic dreams.

And so, after three months of painting portraits on the streets of New York, Qian Peishen finally met the man who would change his destiny—Carlos. It was a gloomy afternoon, and Qian Peishen was setting up his easel near Times Square, his pencil dancing across the paper. Carlos stood behind him, observing him quietly for a long time, a shrewd glint in his eyes.

He stepped forward, casually praising Qian Peishen's skill, while secretly observing the young painter's changing expression. Seeing Qian Peishen's slightly faded clothes and haggard face, Carlos had already made up his mind. He feigned enthusiasm, expressing great admiration for Qian Peishen's painting skills, and offered an enticing suggestion: if he could make a copy of a master's work, he would receive $60 per copy.

For Qian Peishen, who barely survived on instant noodles every day, this was like a windfall. His eyes lit up with excitement, and he readily agreed without much thought. In his mind, $60 was enough for him to eat decent meals for several days. He would have accepted even $10 without hesitation to improve his life, let alone that amount.

However, Qian Peishen was unaware that he had walked into a trap meticulously set by Carlos. Carlos, the old fox, was a master of human nature; he didn't immediately have Qian Peishen copy famous paintings, but instead guided him step by step into "artistic creation." He knew that rushing things might alert the enemy.

Carlos secretly pondered that if he directly had Qian Peishen copy the masterpieces, the naive young man might notice the trickery involved. After all, if he understood his method, wouldn't it be easier to make a profit by copying and selling the works directly to galleries? So he changed his strategy, having Qian Peishen imitate the unique styles of the masters through "secondary creation."

He particularly admired Pollock's Abstract Expressionist style. Pollock's works are highly personal, imbued with an elusive mystery; ordinary painters simply cannot grasp their essence, let alone imitate their effects. To the average person, they appear to be merely random splashes of paint, but to truly capture their spirit requires profound artistic skill.

To Carlos's surprise, Qian Peishen's understanding of Pollock far exceeded his expectations. This young painter from China had already conducted in-depth research on Pollock's works while still in China. Although no one can clearly explain why an Eastern painter could so accurately grasp the core spirit of Pollock, the fact remains—Qian Peishen's works perfectly replicated Pollock's expressive power full of tension and passion, much to Carlos's delight.

The top one is the genuine article, and the bottom one is a fake. I think I can make a fake too.

Thus, both men achieved their goals and reached an agreement: Carlos would pay Qian Peishen $60 for each oil painting, and Carlos stipulated that Qian Peishen would use paints he provided. These paints had a special texture, presenting an indescribable classical luster on the canvas. Every time Qian Peishen received those old paint boxes, he could always smell a trace of time emanating from them.

Qian Peishen had his doubts, but then he thought, perhaps it was just some kind of quirk of the wealthy; after all, there were plenty of eccentrics in the art world. As time went on, their collaboration became increasingly close, and Carlos praised his work highly, as if he had found a gem in the art world. The price also rose accordingly, from the initial $60 to $600 in the blink of an eye. Carlos said this was recognition of his work, which filled Qian Peishen with a sense of pride.

Just as he was getting used to this creative rhythm, Carlos suddenly raised the fees to an astonishing figure. It was said that he was eventually offered $3000 per painting. This unexpected windfall made Qian Peishen ecstatic, and overnight he went from a poor artist to a middle-class person.

Qian Peishen's life has improved dramatically. The poor student who used to survive on instant noodles is long gone. In his place is a well-dressed and composed successful artist. He no longer has to worry about money, no longer has to wash dishes while behaving like a servant, and no longer has to stand in the cold wind to draw portraits for passersby. The burden of life has become much lighter.

Once his income stabilized, the first thing he did was bring his wife and daughter to the United States. The sight of his family reunited made all the hard work worthwhile. In the quiet of the night, he often gazed at his wife's sleeping face and his daughter's innocent smile, a feeling of indescribable contentment welling up inside him. With such a stable income, he had finally established himself in the US. The artist who had dared to venture out into the world with only $50 had finally found his own place in a foreign land!

As for where Carlos sold his paintings, Qian Peishen never asked. But what intrigued him was that the canvases and paints Carlos provided him were quite old, like treasures unearthed from an ancient warehouse. The colors squeezed from the paint tubes had an unusual purity, and the texture of the canvases also exuded a sense of age. These details often surfaced in his mind late at night.

However, Qian Peishen didn't press the matter further. In his view, Carlos was probably just an oil painting enthusiast or a collector who preferred vintage styles; these were not things he should concern himself with. "You pay me, I'll paint for you"—this simple rule of exchange became his creed for survival in America!

In Qian Peishen's eyes, the transaction between the two was very clear: Carlos bought out his paintings, and he was only responsible for painting them. He did not copy the paintings of the masters, but created them based on these famous paintings. Even after Qian Peishen returned to China, he did not expect that Carlos would sell his paintings as genuine works by famous artists.

After receiving the completed painting from Qian Peishen, Carlos had another task: aging it. Aging oil paintings was incredibly easy; the expertise that European auction house experts were so proud of was rendered useless by his skilled hands. Carlos often locked himself in his studio, the curtains drawn tight, wearing special gloves, meticulously "creating" on the canvas with a series of strange tools and chemicals.

He would first use a special solvent to slightly fade the pigments, making them appear as if they had been exposed to sunlight for decades; then he would carefully spray a solution containing special fungi on the back of the canvas to give it an aged look; and then he would use a fine needle to create tiny cracks on the surface of the painting that were almost invisible to the naked eye. The direction and density of these cracks were precisely calculated to be identical to those in famous paintings of that era.