The tall and thin wandering painter Grac entered, of course, should call him Mr. Court Painter by now.
Together with Charles, came to Metzl Castle, and the painter.
Before that, he was appreciated by the king because of a painting, and the news that he was awarded the Legrand court painter soon spread. Many people said sourly, "That's a lucky boy." The painters of the great aristocracy were so jealous that they lashed out against his paintings for sullying the art.
But to his delight, many people went to the town hall in Cossoa to admire his paintings.
Charles didn't stop them, as if it was God's compensation for him. As much ridicule and criticism as he had received, he would now receive as much praise—even many people began to learn new painting methods from him.
He couldn't be happier than that.
Mr. Gluck was in better shape than when he first met the king - at least his clothes were much cleaner and more tidy.
However, the king was slightly surprised when he saw him.
"What's the matter? Could it be that our big Legrand can't even afford a gentleman court painter?" the king asked Charles in surprise.
Gluck was still as tired as he was about to die at any moment, and his face was as pale as a vampire.
Charles was also stunned: "Glac...?"
Gluck bowed again and again to express his apology, and he hurriedly explained that he had new inspiration these days, so he had to paint that pair anyway. During this time, in the hotel, he was doing this.
"Let us admire your masterpiece."
The king had always been lenient with his geniuses—or madmen—and he forgave the painter's faux pas.
The first oil painting was carefully erected by the squire, with a hint of pride on Gerak's face.
The painting is almost two-thirds the length of the entire room.
This one is the "Night of the Plague of Kosthoa" that the king ordered him to paint.
Once again, the king confirmed that Gluck was destined to leave his mark on the history of art. He's a genius, no doubt about it.
The theme of the painting "Plague Night" was originally hopeless, depressing and sad. But Gracque endowed the painting with so much daring bright colors that it could be called brilliant and fiery.
The subject of the picture is the light and agile Volvo pirate clipper. Pirates with cloth strips on their heads are stepping on the deck, holding a long sword in one hand and a cable in the other. Bright flames spewed out from the dragon-shaped metal nozzle of the pirate ship's bow, and the flames swept across the deep sea, reflecting the entire sea area brilliantly like gold.
The golden brilliance that was only used on saints in the past was plated on those free and unrestrained pirates this time. They stood on the bow of the ship and looked free and fearless, like a bronze statue carved by time. Ahead of them, the plague ship looked so dim. Behind them is the majestic and thick city wall of Kothsoya, and under the city wall are the rose knights standing firm like shields.
If "The King and His City" is a hymn that belongs to the king himself, it is not that the praise of the king has not appeared before. But this piece of "The Night of the Plague of Kossoaia" is completely deviant, and the protagonist of the picture is a completely small person.
They were just some pirates, some tiny little people.
They defended an ancient city with their own flesh and blood against the fearsome plague ship. So the painter condensed and engraved the moment when they were at their most high-spirited, and the moment when they were heroes. In front of the fearless hero, even the plague has become a supporting role, and people will always remember that in that disaster, the power of human beings forged an impregnable wall.
What's even more impressive are the details.
The painting took three months to paint, and while it was being painted, Gluck boarded a pirate ship.
The king's order was "let the people remember each of them".
His intention was to make people remember that night, and it turned out that Glac's stubbornness and perseverance exceeded the imagination of King and Charles. He learned from Charles and Hawkins all the people who fought that night, and wrote it down in his little notebook. Then, he ate and lived with the pirates for about a month, and learned little by little from the pirates' mouths about the characters and appearances of those who died in battle.
During that time, the pirates of Walway danced and gestured with Grak almost every day:
"That's right, that boy Tom has a scar on this side."
"That guy is a little shorter than me."
"I'm so pissed off! That guy still owes me three gold coins and hasn't paid it back. Why don't you add a mole to him... Forget it, that guy is already uglier than me, and it makes him even uglier."
…
A funny thing:
A month later, Gluck, who was only here to collect information, actually made a request to become a member of the Volway Pirates. And, at the time of the Walway Pirates' democratic vote, it was almost unanimous - the poorest vote came from Captain Hawkins. Because Gluck refused to remove the iconic slanted scar from his face.
When he heard the cheers of the pirates, Charles was amused and thought helplessly, did their Walway Pirates always recruit strange members
After so much effort, there is something rare in this painting of Gluck.
That is the strong feeling hidden in the fire of war.
Each pirate is vividly portrayed, or is throwing a rope, or is throwing a spear... They are so tacit with each other, supporting each other. When you look closely, you can hear them shouting to each other. In the raging battle, they are real brothers.
On the day it was painted, the pirates of Volway, a group of rough men, watched it secretly with red eyes.
Under the fearlessness and the flames of war, the precipitation is sadness and nostalgia, all the beautiful feelings.
This is what the king wants.
It completely broke free from the worship of divinity and idols, and sang the joys and sorrows of mortals.
"I'm very happy that the gallery of the Rose Palace welcomes its most magnificent exhibits." The king crossed his fingers and stared at the painting, and he asked Gluck with a smile, "What reward do you want? My chief court painter, Mr. "
From an ordinary court painter to a chief court painter, Gluck bowed in a somewhat flattered way to express his gratitude. After hearing the king's inquiry, he bowed again: "You have given me too much, Your Majesty. In fact, I would like to ask you to accept one of my gifts... All I can express my gratitude. Yes, it's the only one left."
The attendant carried the second painting in.
When he saw the painting, Charles couldn't help showing a smile: "Mr. Gerak, have you been in too much contact with our architect?"
The second painting is the scene where the Archbishop of St. Weiss was beheaded on the guillotine in Metzl Street.
On the screen, the executioner raised the head of the Archbishop of St. Weiss high and showed it to everyone. The fully armed rose iron cavalry was neat and dignified, and the crowd had different expressions. The dazzling sunlight fell from the sky to the executioner's blood-stained steel knife. The cold light and the blood formed a sharp contrast.
The king couldn't help laughing: "You drew a stake for yourself, good sir."
"In fact, this is the second stake."
Mr. Gluck answered very calmly.
Before he went into incognito, he was sentenced to death for saying that "painting, as an art that expresses emotions and thoughts, should not be limited to religious subjects". Now, he has painted this painting that can be called a provocation to the Holy Court, and has won another stake for himself with absolute strength.
If by the standards of the Academy of Mad Men, he actually came from behind, ahead of the rest of the madmen as the first person to get two stakes...
I don't know how the guys from the Academy of Madness will react after knowing this.
"I think it might be of some use to you."
Mr. Gluck looked at the king and said sincerely.
It is not wrong for him to be addicted to painting, but Will, the "capital of art" where he was at the time, was so close to the Holy See that he was familiar with the situation of the Holy See.
The king's actions during this period were so big that almost everyone knew that a fierce conflict was breaking out between Legrand and the Holy Court. Gerak was not a priest, nor a soldier, and he had no other ability but to help the king in this war in this way.
It may be ridiculous to say it, but Gluck does feel obligated to do so.
As if the ancient knight was willing to die in order to appreciate his king, he was willing to paint the picture of another stake for the king.
This is the only way for him to repay His Majesty.
The King ordered the Director of Internal Affairs to send the painting to the exhibition gallery of the Royal Academy, and solemnly accepted Grac's gratitude.
"Also, Your Majesty." Gluck suddenly showed a somewhat cramped and nervous expression, "Can I ask you one thing?"
"Please."
"I have a few friends... I think they can help you. They escaped from the Holy See, can you..." he said stutteringly, "they'd love to work for you. !"
The blockade along the southeast coast is now extremely tight. Although he had become a member of the Pirates of Walway, he never made this request in the presence of Captain Charles and Hawkins. Because he has seen with his own eyes what the Volway pirates have paid in order to maintain the blockade.
They meticulously carried out the king's orders, and it was an insult to them to ask them for favoritism.
The only person who can make the decision is the king.
"Who are they?"
asked the king, and Glac's hesitant look made him feel that these "friends" might not be so "ordinary".
"Some..." Gluck gritted his teeth, "The astrologer."