The Joseon Prince Went To America And Didn’t Return – 161



< Christie’s & Sotheby’s (3) >

Edvard Munch was a painter from Norway a northern European country who wouldn’t even set a table for him when he visited.

The masterpiece is the painting Scream which is currently on display in front of me.

Translated into Korean it’s a scream.

‘This is up for auction this time?’

In original history it was sold for $120 million at a Sotheby’s auction in 2012.

I have a painting worth over 150 billion in front of me right now.

That too with the original creator.

“Oh! You said Munch?”

“yes.”

“My name is Lee Kang. Nice to meet you.”

Unlike other artists Munch had a very ordinary(?) appearance.

but.

His eyes looked very sad.

“I am truly honored to see you here Your Majesty who came all the way from the Great Korean Empire.”

Hoo.

It is well known to the public that I am a prince.

Most people don’t know my exact nationality.

Whenever I met unlucky British aristocrats I would ask them strange questions like “How’s your dream of a prince?”

However Munch an artist and not a politician points this out precisely.

“You seem to know me quite well.”

“The story about this prince is quite famous among us.”

“My name is floating around the art world?”

“yes.”

“Hey you’re just lying to make me feel good. Why am I famous?”

Munch seemed to be trying his best to protest that he was not trying to flatter anyone.

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He started to tell me everything he knew even raising his voice a little.

“Every time you bought a piece of art you gave us a check and you contacted us directly without going through a gallery.”

ah….

My uncle’s actions have reached Lee Ja’s ears as well.

I thought the established players wouldn’t know because they were just handing out checks to newcomers.

This rumor must have somehow spread to Munch.

“How can you easily forget such a noble person?”

Munch is my fool.

No.

He looked at me like another long-legged uncle and his eyes sparkled.

“People say that the spiritual world of artists is incomprehensible but… they are also human. They are people who know grace.”

“Haha. Really?”

“yes.”

Munch talked about this for a while and then asked me.

Why do I go through the trouble of sending people to contact the newcomers directly?

“There’s no other meaning to it. I didn’t do that because I wanted to show off my money. I just did it because I didn’t want to spend money blindly on dirty things.”

In fact there are fewer rumors.

It was because I wanted to buy a lot of new artists’ works at a cheap price.

There was no need to express my true feelings directly so I fleshed out the reason and packaged it beautifully.

Munch then.

He started looking up to me as if I was some kind of adult gentleman.

“That’s right. New writers… no most writers are poor. If the prince’s purchase price went entirely to new writers their circumstances would improve a little.”

There is something called ‘gapjil’ both past and present.

Large galleries charge huge sales commissions to new artists.

The percentage ranges from as low as 20% to as high as 50%.

By purchasing directly like this without going through an intermediary like me poor artists save on commissions.

Munch quickly turned his head towards his work praising my recent actions.

“Haha it’s such an honor to be able to talk to you like this Your Majesty. Oh I’d like to introduce my work to you too. Do you have some time?”

of course.

How many opportunities do you get to hear an author explain his or her masterpiece?

“First let me explain what I know.”

“Please speak.”

“This painting The Scream is based on your hometown. Didn’t you have a panic attack your terrible chronic disease while you were walking around the outskirts of Christiania (Oslo) with your friends?”

“….”

“I heard that you copied the scenery you saw at that time into a print as is. Am I right?”

Munch looked quite surprised.

Because I recited the hidden secrets of the scream one after another.

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“Furthermore I know that only three of these paintings have been produced to date. The one exhibited here appears to have been painted in pastel judging by the time it was completed (1895).”

“I see you’ve been keeping an eye on me and my work. You’ve been doing so much research.”

I shrugged.

hereto.

Munch smiled broadly at me.

“First I will answer the prince’s question. Some of the prince’s explanations are right and some are wrong.”

“okay?”

“Yes. It is true that when the sun set the sky turned completely red and screamed at me. And I copied that exactly.”

Munch swallows briefly.

He looked around for a moment and then whispered to me softly.

“But I didn’t see this sight because of a panic attack.”

“then?”

“I drank a lot that day…”

what?

Is this a little bit broken?

As if Munch had read the change in my expression he scratched his head and gave an elaborate explanation.

“To be honest… I was a little embarrassed so I cited the panic attacks I usually suffer from as the reason.”

That kind of thing.

You said you would rather be silent than lie…

It turns out he was a liar.

“Your Majesty.”

“Tell me.”

“Are you interested in this painting?”

“okay.”

“Then. The facts I just explained to you are a secret between the prince and me.”

but.

When the truth comes out.

It will also affect the value of the painting.

okay.

It’s right to keep this secret between the two of us.

At least if I buy this painting.

“Hahaha. I thought you were only good at drawing. You’re also pretty good at telling stories. Yeah yeah. It’s a secret. Just between the two of us.”

I looked around to see if anyone else had heard this story.

Luckily there was no one around except my group.

I stared blankly at Munch and then continued to say what I wanted to say.

“By the way… it seems like your health has improved a lot. Weren’t you hospitalized recently?”

Munch readily answered my question whether he had any intention of hiding his illness.

“Yes. I had a brief period of mental illness due to a breakup but… I was able to recover a lot while recovering at the hospital.”

This era.

Most artists suffered from mental illness.

Because of absinthe.

Because of an unfortunate family history.

Because of the woman.

Because of poverty.

Because of drugs.

Because of a sexually transmitted disease (syphilis).

Because of a congenital genetic disease.

Being in and out of mental hospitals countless times.

That’s why it’s not a big shame for artists to have received psychiatric treatment.

Because dogs and cows are admitted to mental hospitals.

“In addition I got to see many other authors’ works that provided me with new inspiration… so I think you can look forward to my next work.”

“okay?”

My eyes lit up as soon as Munch finished speaking.

Because I’m always curious about the story of the next work.

This is especially true for Munch who is set to rise to the ranks of great artists.

“Oh my prince.”

Munch reacted to my actions as his eyes flashed with interest in my next work.

“As a collector are you interested in my new work?”

“Of course. Can you show it to me?”

“It would be an honor if that were the case. The work is not in this exhibition but is stored in my dorm.”

Collectors and writers.

There is no better deal than a direct transaction between two people.

If you negotiate the purchase of a piece of art through an exhibition or a large gallery a commission is bound to follow.

“If you are interested in my signature work The Scream… you will be very satisfied. I recently finished the last of the four-part series The Scream.”

Munch painted only four paintings of The Scream during his lifetime.

What I have in front of me now is the third work.

It is said that the fourth work is stored in his residence.

If I own all of these I will own two of your works.

“Interesting. I’ll be heading straight to your quarters after my current exhibition is over.”

“thank you.”

I moved to where the other works were and approached Munch again and asked him.

“Oh! There’s something I want to ask you.”

“Please speak.”

“You said earlier that you got new inspiration at the mental hospital?”

“yes.”

“Who is the man who gave you that inspiration?”

If it was a work of art that Munch was deeply impressed by.

It’s definitely worth investing in.

I pressed Munch again wondering about the man’s identity.

“I would also like to purchase that man’s work. Can you tell me his name? Or at least the title of the work?”

Munch smiled silently at my question then turned his head and looked at one place.

“That’s great. There’s a picture of him over there.”

* * *

“May I… explain the work?”

A woman approached me slowly.

“I am Johanna van Gogh. I am the owner of the Van Gogh painting hanging here. Your Highness. It is a pleasure to meet you.”

Johanna van Gogh.

She was the wife of Gogh’s younger brother Theo and was considered Gogh’s ‘sister-in-law’.

Now that both Van Gogh and Theo are dead all of Van Gogh’s works are now hers.

‘A marketer who developed Van Gogh’s work into a world-class piece.’

Johanna’s marketing is legendary.

Because it was Johanna who made an unknown writer into a conversationalist after death.

“Nice to meet you.”

“Your Majesty are you interested in the Van Gogh painting hanging here?”

“Yes. It looks like the works I was looking for are hanging right here.”

The early 20th century when I was a painter was a time of great turmoil just like the 21st century.

It was a time when there was controversy over whether the invention of the camera a rare tool would cut off the livelihood of painters who painted portraits of the wealthy.

‘This is an event comparable to the emergence of AI in the 21st century.’

Well when problems arise people always find a way to survive.

Until now the best quality of a painter was determined by how realistically he or she could draw a picture.

Since immediately after the invention of the camera.

Because how well one can express one’s emotions and worldview in a painting is starting to be considered a first-class painter’s skill.

Van Gogh was an artist perfectly suited to these changes in the art world.

Johanna who was in front of me also knew this well so I approached her cautiously.

“Your Majesty which of these three works would you like? I will explain it to you.”

She also mentioned other works that were not hanging in the auction house as if to test my intentions.

“If you don’t like what’s hanging in the auction house or exhibition hall here… I can come to the prince’s quarters and give him catalogs of the works.”

I stared intently at Van Gogh’s painting and spoke directly to Johanna without looking at her.

“I like the works here and I’m curious about the works you have as well.”

“Oh really?”

I nodded and felt sorry for Van Gogh’s death.

“Your late grandfather Van Gogh was such a pitiful man. If he had lived a long life he would have enjoyed his prime and lived a wealthy life amidst the rapidly changing art world.”

“….”

“Didn’t he suffer all his life and eventually pass away? You feel sorry for him. Isn’t that why you are promoting Van Gogh’s work with all your heart?”

Johanna looked at me with a slightly interested expression.

“Some media outlets only see me as a money-crazy widow… but you Prince are different.”

“Well if you were a money-mad widow you would have sold all the works you owned within a reasonable amount. But you didn’t and you continue to try to keep Van Gogh’s name talked about in the art world.”

Johanna looked at me with eyes that told me I was not ordinary.

“Can you help me?”

“Does this mean you can be my sponsor?”

“yes.”

I chuckled and answered Johanna’s question.

“It’s already become quite famous but it still has a long way to go.”

I handed my business card to Johanna.

“Come to America. People should play in the biggest market.”

“….”

“I will support you. I will support you in everything without holding back.”

“Really?”

“Yes. Oh. Before that. First I would like to ask you how many Van Gogh paintings you have. Johanna how many Van Gogh paintings do you own?”

* * *

“I think it’s almost finished.”

I have looked at all the works that I am interested in or that I should buy.

Now there’s only one thing left.

‘I need to meet people.’

Is it because I talk a lot or because I concentrate?

I was quite tired though.

People don’t come to these large-scale exhibitions just to see the artwork.

Where there is money to be made the upper class and wealthy class of the region tend to flock there.

‘uh?’

That was when.

A familiar face caught my eye.

“Minister Churchill.”

“This prince.”

< Christie’s & Sotheby’s (3) > End