When the provincial museum exhibited Dwelling in the Fuchun Mountains, they discovered a blood painting so convincingly copied it could pass for the real thing. The killer had signed it “Master Painter.” Soon afterward, a famous actress was found dead in a park. Not long later, Autumn Colors on the Qiao and Hua Mountains, another masterpiece on display, was switched with a fake, and suspicion fell on Qi Dongmin. As the police mobilized to capture Qi Dongmin, they received a video of a trial from “Master Painter,” along with a second blood painting, Early Spring. On one side, “Master Painter” sets a chain of elaborate puzzles, completing his picture one piece at a time. On the other, calligraphy and painting expert Zuo Han, hired by the police, and criminal police captain Lu Ke painstakingly follow the clues, delving deeper with every step... Drawing on five celebrated masterpieces as clues, The Murderous Language of Paintings weaves together knowledge of painting, calligraphy, poetry, the Five Elements, and more, layering one case within another to create a clever fusion of culture and suspense. Its cases are intricate and tightly constructed, its characters witty and entertaining, and its exploration of traditional culture rich. It also offers a revealing look at the current chaos in the art market.
