102 The Impending Global Sensation

Milon was a distinguished sculptor in world history, renowned throughout all of Greece in the mid-5th century BCE. Ancient Greek and Roman writers mentioned Milon and his works multiple times. He excelled in bronze sculpture, skillfully and proportionately portraying the human body in motion, and was also a master at depicting animals.

Legend has it that his bronze statue of a bull made for Athens once attracted greedy wolves, and his sculptures of horses even provoked neighing from real horses—testaments to his exquisite craftsmanship and lifelike representations.

Regrettably, none of Milon’s original works have survived to the present day, save for those in Panwu’s collection. What remains for us to see are marble copies crafted by Roman artisans.

Now, Xiao Yao is presenting an original Milon piece for auction, an event sure to cause a great stir.

The third item he intends to auction is Leonardo da Vinci’s oil painting, *Salvator Mundi*. This painting, under Panwu’s stewardship, has undergone nearly a decade of authentication and has finally been recognized as genuine, widely accepted by artists and experts alike.

*Salvator Mundi* was created by the famed Italian Renaissance master Leonardo da Vinci around the year 1500, roughly contemporaneous with the *Mona Lisa*. The painting originally belonged to King Charles I of England, passed to Charles II, and then to the Duke of Buckingham, whose son sold it in 1763.

Afterward, the painting disappeared from records until its reappearance around 1900. Over five centuries, it changed hands numerous times and was repeatedly overpainted, the original image obscured beneath thick layers of paint. In 1958, *Salvator Mundi* sold for a mere 45 pounds at an auction in England.

It was not until 1996 that the painting eventually came into Panwu’s possession. Following nearly ten years of meticulous cleaning and verification, it was confirmed authentic and gained widespread acclaim.

The authentication process was extraordinarily arduous and lengthy, made possible only by rapid advancements in modern technology. Without such scientific assistance and comparative analysis, the painting might still be dismissed as a forgery and overlooked.

With the most challenging authentication completed under Panwu’s care, Xiao Yao now faces no obstacles in auctioning the piece. The question of authenticity will not affect the painting’s value.

The fourth artifact Xiao Yao plans to auction is another Western oil painting: Vincent van Gogh’s *Sunflowers*.

Panwu’s collection includes four versions of van Gogh’s *Sunflowers*: three with sunflowers in a vase—one featuring three sunflowers, two others with twelve.

The piece for auction is the one with twelve sunflowers in a vase.

This painting was a gift to Panwu years ago, well known to many, and universally recognized as authentic. The authentication of such precious masterpieces often requires extended periods, and with just over two months left before the autumn auction, presenting a well-documented and widely accepted work is the prudent choice.

Introducing a work with contested authenticity during a brief promotion window risks failing to secure broad recognition, which would inevitably diminish its price—an outcome Xiao Yao cannot accept.

Historically, van Gogh’s *Sunflowers* once set a record auction price. In a 1987 international art auction, the wealthy Japanese Yasuda Company astonishingly acquired a version of *Sunflowers* by the Dutch Impressionist master for $39.5 million.

However, on June 9, 1998, a consortium of eight leading international art experts declared that the *Sunflowers* held by the Yasuda Fire and Marine Insurance Company’s gallery was not painted by van Gogh but was a forgery.

British art expert Norman contended that the painting was a copy by a Frenchman named Stoeffnack, a friend of Gauguin who once had custody of van Gogh’s *Sunflowers*.

Given this prior scandal involving a forged *Sunflowers*, Xiao Yao’s choice to auction a *Sunflowers* painting demands absolute certainty of authenticity. Any controversy would severely impact the final price.

The *Sunflowers* he offers is a gift from a wealthy patron to Panwu, with a clear provenance and multiple expert validations, leaving no doubt about its genuineness.

In the 1980s, van Gogh’s similar works fetched nearly $40 million. Thirty years on, the price for such a piece is eagerly anticipated by Xiao Yao.

All four artifacts Xiao Yao presents are world-class artistic treasures. Owning even one, with proper promotion, would ignite global sensation. Offering four simultaneously at auction leaves no room for the Art Rhythm Auction House to falter; if they cannot attract sufficiently influential bidders, future cooperation would be pointless.

Art Rhythm’s offer is enticing, yet their obvious shortcoming lies in their relatively recent establishment and lack of global influence. Without drawing a critical mass of wealthy guests and renowned museums to bid, the auction results may fall short of expectations. This is a clear disadvantage from a business perspective.

By presenting these four blockbuster masterpieces at once, Xiao Yao aims to compensate for Art Rhythm’s weakness.

With these four “nuclear” headliners, once the promotional campaign commences, even if Art Rhythm’s international influence is limited, the sheer quality of the offerings will surely attract the target bidders.

Art Rhythm’s autumn auctions are divided between Hong Kong Island and mainland China’s capital. Although Lu Yahong has not mentioned the domestic autumn auction, Xiao Yao has proactively prepared several items suitable for sale in the mainland.

Over several millennia, Panwu has amassed a vast collection of artifacts, many of which lack any mention in surviving historical records.

Since Xiao Yao plans to sell some duplicate items in the future, addressing this issue is a necessary first step.