Synopsis and Starting Chapter Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Chapter 5
Chapter 6
Chapter 7
Chapter 8
Chapter 9
Chapter 10
Chapter 11
Chapter 12
Chapter 13
Chapter 14
Chapter 15
Chapter 16
Chapter 17
Chapter 18
Chapter 19
Chapter 20
Chapter 21
Chapter 22
Chapter 23
Chapter 24
Chapter 25
Chapter 26
Chapter 27
Chapter 28
Chapter 29
Chapter 30
Chapter 31
Chapter 32
Chapter 33
Chapter 34
Chapter 35
Chapter 36
Chapter 37
Chapter 38
Chapter 39
Chapter 40
Chapter 41
Chapter 42
Chapter 43
Chapter 44
Chapter 45
Chapter 46
Chapter 47
Chapter 48
Chapter 49
Chapter 50
Chapter 51
Chapter 52
Chapter 53
Chapter 54
Chapter 55
Chapter 56
Chapter 57
Chapter 58
Chapter 59
Chapter 60
Chapter 61
Chapter 62
Chapter 63
Chapter 64
Chapter 65
Chapter 66
Chapter 67
Chapter 68
Chapter 69
Chapter 70
Chapter 71
Chapter 72
Chapter 73
Chapter 74
Chapter 75
Chapter 76
Chapter 77
Chapter 78
Chapter 79
Chapter 80
Chapter 81
Chapter 82
Chapter 83
Chapter 84
Chapter 85
Chapter 86
Chapter 87
Chapter 88
Chapter 89
Chapter 90
Chapter 91
Chapter 92
Chapter 93
Chapter 94
Chapter 95
Chapter 96
Chapter 97
Chapter 98
Chapter 99
Chapter 100
Chapter 101
Chapter 102
Chapter 103
Chapter 104
Chapter 105
Chapter 106
Chapter 107
Chapter 108
Chapter 109
Chapter 110
Chapter 111
Chapter 112
Chapter 113
Chapter 114
Chapter 115
Chapter 116
Chapter 117
Chapter 118
Chapter 119
Chapter 120
Chapter 121 - Portrait Of Titus (2)
Chapter 122 - Visitor From The Desert (1)
Chapter 123 - Visitor From The Desert (2)
Chapter 124 - Visitor From The Desert (3)
Chapter 125 - Visitor From The Desert (4)
Chapter 126 - Rookie Of Boston Red Sox (1)
Chapter 127 - Rookie Of Boston Red Sox (2)
Chapter 128 - Buddhist Scripture Written With Gold (1)
Chapter 129 - Buddhist Scripture Written With Gold (2)
Chapter 130 - Buddhist Scripture Written With Gold (3)
Chapter 131 - Chaebol, Painting, And Happy Tears (1)
Chapter 132 - Chaebol, Painting, And Happy Tears (2)
Chapter 133 - Chaebol, Painting, And Happy Tears (3)
Chapter 134 - Enemies Are Everywhere (1)
Chapter 135 - Enemies Are Everywhere (2)
Chapter 136 - More Paintings (1)
Chapter 137 - More Paintings (2)
Chapter 138 - To Florence, Italy… (1)
Chapter 139 - To Florence, Italy… (2)
Chapter 140 - To Florence, Italy… (3)
Chapter 141 - People Who Are After The Masterpiece (1)
Chapter 142 - People Who Are After The Masterpiece (2)
Chapter 143 - People Who Are After The Masterpiece (3)
Chapter 144 - The Medici And The Aristocrats (1)
Chapter 145 - The Medici And The Aristocrats (2)
Chapter 146 - The Medici And The Aristocrats (3)
Chapter 147 - The Medici And The Aristocrats (4)
Chapter 148 - The Medici And The Aristocrats (5)
Chapter 149 - Drawings In The Charity Auction (1)
Chapter 150 - Drawings In The Charity Auction (2)
Chapter 151 - Drawings In The Charity Auction (3)
Chapter 152 - Drawings In The Charity Auction (4)
Chapter 153 - Drawings In The Charity Auction (5)
Chapter 154 - Now, To London… (1)
Chapter 155 - Now, To London… (2)
Chapter 156 - Now, To London… (3)
Chapter 157 - Now, To London… (4)
Chapter 158 - Seeing The Light Again (1)
Chapter 159 - Seeing The Light Again (2)
Chapter 160 - Seeing The Light Again (3)
Chapter 161 - Seeing The Light Again (4)
Chapter 162 - Uninvited Guest (1)
Chapter 163 - Uninvited Guest (2)
Chapter 164 - Uninvited Guest (3)
Chapter 165 - Uninvited Guest (4)
Chapter 166 - Dark Shadow (1)
Chapter 167 - Dark Shadow (2)
Chapter 168 - Dark Shadow (3)
Chapter 169 - Change And Progress (1)
Chapter 170 - Change, And Progress (2)
Chapter 171 - Change, And Progress (3)
Chapter 172 - Appraiser Talks Through Appraising (1)
Chapter 173 - Appraiser Talks Through Appraising (2)
Chapter 174 - Appraiser Talks Through Appraising (3)
Chapter 175 - Appraiser Talks Through Appraising (4)
Chapter 176 - Appraiser Talks Through Appraising (5)
Chapter 177 - Inheritance Left By The Parents (1)
Chapter 178 - Inheritance Left By The Parents (2)
Chapter 179 - Inheritance Left By The Parents (3)
Chapter 180 - Inheritance Left By The Parents (4)
Chapter 181 - Star Appraiser (1)
Chapter 182 - Star Appraiser (2)
Chapter 183 - Star Appraiser (3)
Chapter 184 - Terms Of Return Of Artifacts (1)
Chapter 185 - Terms Of Return Of Artifacts (2)
Chapter 186 - Terms Of Return Of Artifacts (3)
Chapter 187 - Terms Of Return Of Artifacts (4)
Chapter 188 - Terms Of Return Of Artifacts (5)
Chapter 189 - Artifact From North Korea (1)
Chapter 190 - Artifact From North Korea (2)
Chapter 191 - Artifact Match (1)
Chapter 192 - Artifact Match (2)
Chapter 193 - Artifact Match (3)
Chapter 194 - Artifact Match (4)
Chapter 195 - Artifact Match (5)
Chapter 196 - What Happened In Austria (1)
Chapter 197 - What Happened In Austria (2)
Chapter 198 - What Happened In Austria (3)
Chapter 199 - What Happened In Austria (4)
Chapter 200 - Bait To Catch The Big Fish (1)
Chapter 201 - Bait To Catch The Big Fish (2)
Chapter 202 - What The Depressed Man Left (1)
Chapter 203 - What The Depressed Man Left (2)
Chapter 204 - Where The Faith Leads Him To (1)
Chapter 205 - Add Painting To Painting (1)
Chapter 206 - Add Painting To Painting (2)
Chapter 207 - Add Painting To Painting (3)
Chapter 208 - Finally, To There… (1)
Chapter 209 - Finally, In There… (2)
Chapter 210 (End) - Epilogue
Categories Genre: All, Completed, Fantasy, Supernatural Status: Completed ______
Total Chapters in book: 210
Estimated words: 468205 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 2341(@200wpm)___ 1873(@250wpm)___ 1561(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 468205 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 2341(@200wpm)___ 1873(@250wpm)___ 1561(@300wpm)
______
LIST OF LAST 10 CHAPTERS:
Page No. 210 Page No. 209 Page No. 208 Page No. 207 Page No. 206 Page No. 205 Page No. 204 Page No. 203 Page No. 202 Page No. 201 Page No. 200 Chapter 198 - What Happened In Austria (3)
Chapter 198: What Happened in Austria (3)
Along with Gustav Klimt, Egon Schiele was one of the master artists of Austria.
But there were people who don’t like his paintings as most of them are about eroticism.
He painted nude, sexual organs, and even scenes of sex and homosexuality.
However, this Sunflowers painting wasn’t about that kind of eroticism, anyone could enjoy it.
“Even if this is fake, with this quality, it is definitely worth 5000 euros. Congratulations,” Haejin said.
Cavani burst into laughter, “Haha! It almost feels like I forced you to say that. It is such a pleasant experience to get celebrated for buying it at 5000 euros.”
But then, Silvia, who had been watching quietly, asked, “Have you done research on Karl Grunwald?”
Karl Grunwald became friends with Egon Schiele during World War 1. He was very close to Schiele and even did a portrait model for him.
Cavani was impressed.
“Ah! You are truly wise. I haven’t thought of it. If this painting is real, I must look for Grunwald’s descendants. Maybe they know something.”
As Grunwald was a merchant who collected antiques, he owned a number of valuable works of art. However, after Austria merged with Germany, he decided to flee.
He ran away from the Nazi with a few of Egon Schiele’s paintings that he had in Vienna, but unfortunately, he couldn’t take Sunflowers as it was in Strasbourg.
Eventually, after the Nazi took Strasbourg, they stole the painting. Then, it resurfaced on an auction between the stolen artifacts in 1942.
After that, Grunwald and his son tried many times to get it back.
Although Cavani was impressed, Haejin wasn’t that surprised.
It was because of that feeling that he would get from a fake painting.
However, he wasn’t disappointed. He thought that since it was of great quality, the forger must have had the real painting next to him when he had made it.
“Then, I should start appraising.”
He slowly examined it, and he couldn’t help but be impressed.
Egon Schiele was deeply influenced by Gustav Klimt who was like his artistic father. But afterward, he got away from Klimt’s style and created his own unique and powerful outline.
This painting had his own style and even his unique gloomy mood. It was hard to think of it as fake.
If Haejin hadn’t learned magic, he would have never thought it was fake. However, it was strange as the merchant who had sold it had been so sure that it was fake.
“I must congratulate you once again for buying this at 5000 euros. It is remarkable, but… why did that merchant think this was fake?” Haejin asked.
Cavani collected his thoughts and then explained, “He said he had bought it at an extremely old antique shop in Berlin. The seller even told him that it was a great fake that would fool most appraisers, and the forger was a master like Tom Keating, Eric Hepburn, and Mark Landis. So, I asked if he wasn’t tempted at all. I would have given 5 million euros without thinking twice if he had said it was real, but then he smiled.”
“Why did he smile?” Haejin asked.
“I wondered that as well and asked. He said credibility was everything to him, and he would be left with nothing without it. He then added he would be in jail in no time if he had made the wrong decision, and I couldn’t argue anymore,” Cavani answered.
Haejin thought it was odd. That merchant had sold a real painting and a fake painting of great quality as fakes…
If he had said they were both real, he would have gotten millions of euros in cash.
“That merchant is really impressive,” Haejin commented.
“That is why I have so many questions for him. At the time, I couldn’t ask as I didn’t know about the paintings’ authenticity, but I can ask now.”
Cavani remained calm.
He never showed the changes in his emotion like a true leader of a prestigious family.
“Hmm… I see.”
Haejin sighed and shook his head. He couldn’t find any evidence of the painting being fake.
It had Egon Schiele’s unique gloomy colors, his powerful outlines, and the feeling of life and death.
Haejin had planned to use magic to find out about the forger and the seller, but he was a little disappointed to not find anything.
Seeing a fake that he couldn’t discern with his own skills felt as if he was being defeated by the forger.
At first, he tried to find some proof without using magic because he was worried about not being able to tell others even if he knew that it was fake. In fact, there might not be any evidence just like before.
So, he then used magic to look into the past, but he was startled and took a step back.
Silvia saw this and came to take his hand. She asked, “Are you okay? Is there something wrong?”
She meant about using magic.
When they were alone, she always warned him that the chosen’s power enabled one to do anything, but it sometimes destroyed its master.
“No, it’s not it… I was just a little surprised. May I turn off the lights?”
At this, Silvia went back to her sit. Cavani gulped hard and nodded, “Yes.”
He turned off the lights, and immediately the room became dark. They could not even see their own hands.
Haejin took out a small lamp and looked at the painting with it.
10 minutes went by in the darkness. Then, Haejin stood up while saying, “We can turn on the lights now.”
The room became bright again. Cavani couldn’t wait anymore, he stood up and asked, “Why were you surprised? And why did you turn out the lights? I am very eager to know.”
“Oh, first of all, this painting is fake. However, the forger is a great artist. I almost gave up on it.”
Haejin was telling the truth.
If he hadn’t looked into the past to find out that the forger hadn’t made a rough sketch before painting it, he would have had to give up and go home.
“I also acknowledge the forger’s skills. I would like to see him work myself. But why is this painting fake?” Cavani asked.
Haejin explained, “Egon Schiele used strong and lively outlines. So, he must have drawn rough sketches many times before painting on it. However, this painting has no sketches. It means…”
“It is an imitation. Remarkable. How did you find out that there was no rough sketch?”
Actually, Haejin had prepared some scientific tools before he got there.
He had set an appraisal room in his museum, and he also wanted to use science to make his work easier as much as he could.
He had brought a few things when he came to Austria because he didn’t want to be forced to not tell the truth just because there was no evidence, and one of them was this special UV lamp.
Silvia had gotten it for him, and it enabled Haejin to find out if there were rough sketches or not.
It was very fortunate that he got to appraise a fake without a rough sketch right after he got it.
“This is a special UV lamp. I can check if there is a rough sketch or not with this,” Haejin replied.
“Oh, I see.”
Haejin explained, “This was certainly not made recently. Most museums do this kind of scientific analysis these days, and even auctions agencies like Christie’s and Sotheby’s do it, so there is no reason for such a skilled forger to leave out the rough sketch.”
“Then…”
Haejin concluded, “It was made in the 1960s or before that. There must have been no reason to bother to draw a sketch before scientific means of appraisal became popular. Of course, now he would draw the sketch and paint on it to fool science.”
Cavani looked excited as he nodded.
It was probably because he was sure he had found a lead to the organization that had stolen the Nazi’s paintings.
“Then what are you going to do now?” Haejin asked.
Cavani answered, “Now I feel relieved to know it is fake. I have called the merchant, so why don’t we have dinner while we wait?”
“It would be my honor,” Haejin replied.
“Oh, and you will get your fee in time after three days.”
“Thank you.”
They had agreed on Haejin’s fee before he arrived in Vienna.
The Medici family accepted his terms of 1% of the appraised price and even offered an additional bonus.
After that, they had a pleasant dinner and went out to the wide garden to have dessert while looking at the starry night sky.
“My father liked Egon Schiele’s paintings a lot. However, by the time he became interested in them, they had already gotten quite expensive, and my mother didn’t like them as they were indecent. But it feels so strange to get one of his painting now.”
“It is a little hard to believe a Medici didn’t like a painting because it was indecent,” Haejin commented.
Cavani smiled bitterly at this and said, “Actually, it is a little embarrassing to say this to an outsider, but my father had affairs with many women, like Egon Schiele’s father.”
“Oh… that explains why your mother didn’t like Egon Schiele’s paintings.”
Egon Schiele’s father had syphilis and even transferred it to his pregnant wife, making her miscarry the child.
As Egon Schiele’s sister also died of congenital syphilis, his interest and fear for sexuality eventually showed itself in his paintings.
“We made such great progress on your day of arrival, so I feel we will get good results afterward. If we get lucky, we might be able to find a lot of the lost Nazi artifacts,” Cavani commented.
“I hope so, too…”
But then, a servant came to them and said, “Mr. Matias is here.”
The conversation stopped there, and the silhouette of an old man came very slowly.
He was small and couldn’t walk with ease, so he was clearly very old.
“Welcome. I apologize for calling you so suddenly,” Cavani said.
“Haha… how can I say no to your request when I make my living with paintings?”
Cavani and the man appeared to be very close, but Haejin couldn’t say anything as he was too shocked.
Although the man was old, he could recognize his face.
He was the forger he had seen through magic.
Total Chapters in book: 210
Estimated words: 468205 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 2341(@200wpm)___ 1873(@250wpm)___ 1561(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 468205 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 2341(@200wpm)___ 1873(@250wpm)___ 1561(@300wpm)
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