Treasure Hunt all over the World

While walking into the China Pavilion, Ye Tian was also introducing to Betty and the others in a low voice the origin of the China Pavilion of the Palace of Fontainebleau and the collection of antiques.

"In 1861, when Napoleon III's wife, Empress Eugenie, was visiting the Palace of Fontainebleau, she asked the architect Alex to build a hall for her to collect art from the Far East.

The architect chose this hall built in the period of François I. After some reconstruction, it became what it is today. Its main body is a hall 14 meters long and 7 meters wide.

The antique works of art displayed in the China Pavilion mainly come from three channels, tribute from Siam, treasures from China, and Chinese antique works of art purchased by the French royal family around the world.

Among them, the largest part of Chinese antique art comes from the Chinese imperial garden known as the Garden of Ten Thousand Gardens, the Old Summer Palace, which was looted from the Old Summer Palace by the French army who invaded China in 1860.

On October 7, 1860, the French general Charles Montauban led his troops into the Old Summer Palace in the suburbs of Beijing, searched and plundered the Old Summer Palace frantically, and took away a large number of treasures from the Qing palace and royal family.

They snatched away all the treasures that could be taken away, and those huge and extremely heavy treasures and exquisite antique works of art that could not be taken away were smashed one by one by them and completely destroyed!

This is not over yet. After the Old Summer Palace was looted, in order to destroy the evidence, the vicious British and French allied forces started to set fire to it again, and burned the Old Summer Palace, which was known as the garden of ten thousand gardens, to nothingness! "

"Wow! This is too crazy, those invaders are simply a group of beasts, crazy lunatics!"

Betty said with emotion, with a bit of anger in her tone.

As a Chinese girlfriend, under the influence of Ye Tian, ​​when she heard such a thing, she naturally felt a sense of righteous indignation!

Even people who have nothing to do with China, who have a sense of justice, will definitely be outraged when they hear such crazy and inhuman acts of robbers!

On the other side, the faces of Benoit and the French all turned red, and their expressions were quite embarrassing!

These things that Ye Tian said are extremely conclusive historical facts, and no one can deny that this is also the main reason why the China Pavilion of Fontainebleau Palace has been closed for a long time!

As long as the China Pavilion is open and Chinese tourists come to visit, they will hear these words, embarrassing them, the entire Palace of Fontainebleau, and even the whole of France!

France has always advocated freedom, equality and fraternity! The French are known as a nation that loves art very much.

How could it not be embarrassing to have done such a disgraceful thing?

"Steven, what you said is not entirely correct. The French army who broke into the Old Summer Palace did take away a lot of antiques and artworks, and indeed smashed a lot of things, but it was the British who set fire to the Old Summer Palace!"

Benoit defended himself strongly, his words were seriously lacking in confidence, and his voice was a little floaty.

Ye Tian looked at the Frenchman, sneered and said:

"What's the difference? They're all shameless robbers!"

Hearing this, many Frenchmen at the scene were immediately silenced, their faces flushed like pig's liver, their expressions became even more embarrassing, and there was a hint of anger in their eyes!

Ye Tian ignored them, turned around and continued:

"In the Old Summer Palace, several carriages were filled with treasures looted by the French commander Montauban, and all the other British and French officers and soldiers who participated in the robbery returned with full loads!

After these despicable and shameless robbers returned to Europe, relying on the huge wealth looted from the Old Summer Palace, they lived a carefree life, and many even enjoyed it for life!

The Yuanmingyuan, the unparalleled garden masterpiece and rare art treasure in the world, burned for three full days and nights in the raging fire, and all the prosperity was burned!

Hugo once wrote angrily, "One day, two robbers broke into the Old Summer Palace, one robbed things, and the other set fire to them. The two robbers were named French and English!" '

What is even more hateful is that the British and French soldiers who participated in the robbery did not understand the cultural value of Chinese antique artworks at all. Many precious Chinese calligraphy and paintings were burned, and the losses were extremely heavy!

After the antiques looted by the French army from the Old Summer Palace were transported back to Europe, Montauban dedicated seven carts of antiques to the wife of Napoleon III, Empress Eugenie!

In order to collect these antique artworks from Yuanmingyuan, Empress Eugenie ordered the construction of the China Pavilion. Since then, many antique artworks from Yuanmingyuan have been added here.

Among the museums outside of China, it should be said that among all the museums in the world, the Chinese Pavilion of the Palace of Fontainebleau has the largest collection of antiques from the Old Summer Palace.

The collection of antique works of art from the Old Summer Palace is as many as thousands, some say tens of thousands of pieces, many of which are priceless treasures and are the top antique works of art.

Regarding the number of these antique works of art, there has never been an exact figure. For well-known reasons, the Palace of Fontainebleau has never given an exact figure! "

Having said that, Ye Tian turned his head to look at Benoit and the other Frenchmen!

The faces of those French guys were flushed, their expressions were very embarrassing, their eyes flickered, and they seemed not ready to respond to Ye Tian's words!

Each of them knew very well in their hearts that no matter how they responded, even if they were eloquent, they would not be able to change the facts that had already happened. It was wrong to say more, so why bother to say more?

At the same time, they did not have the slightest idea of ​​announcing the number of antique works of art in the Yuanmingyuan collected by the China Pavilion, which would only bring some unnecessary troubles!

Ye Tian glanced at these guys, then retracted his gaze and continued:

"There are so many Chinese antiques looted from the Old Summer Palace in the Chinese Pavilion of the Palace of Fontainebleau that even Empress Eugenie herself feels ashamed!

She once sighed as if "conscience found out": "The emperor of China gave me precious playthings, but what I gave in return was the army", but this was just a false sigh!

It was the catastrophe that made all Chinese people feel extremely humiliated that I have such a deep obsession with the antiques and artworks of the Yuanmingyuan that were looted and lost overseas!

In the previous treasure hunt in Boston, I had already obtained a batch of antique artworks from the Old Summer Palace that had been lost overseas. This time I hope to get more and better treasures! "

When speaking of the last sentence, Ye Tian was full of confidence, and his tone was decisive!

Even if the object of this art transaction is not the Palace of Fontainebleau, but the Museum of Asian Art of Guimet, it doesn't matter at all!

The real drama will be officially staged when the Napoleon treasure buried at No. 15 Channones Street is revealed!

You know, many antique works of art in that treasure are closely related to Napoleon, and they are priceless treasures in the eyes of the French!

For all museums and collectors in France, and even for all famous museums and top collectors in the Western world, those antique works of art related to Napoleon are the treasures they most want to have in their pockets!

At that time, as long as you are willing, even if you empty the entire Chinese Pavilion of Fontainebleau Palace, it will not be a big problem!

"Honey, I believe you can achieve this goal, get more Chinese antiques lost from the Old Summer Palace, and return in triumph!"

Betty next to her said softly, her words were also full of confidence and expectation.

While speaking, Ye Tian and the others had already passed through the front hall of the China Pavilion and formally entered the exhibition area.

The first Chinese antique artwork appeared in front of Ye Tian's eyes. At the same time, the situation in the exhibition area was also clearly presented in front of Ye Tian's eyes.

This is an exhibition hall with an area of ​​about 100 square meters. The decoration is luxurious and elegant. It is decorated in a typical French court style. What is displayed is Chinese antique art, giving people a nondescript feeling!

There are so many Chinese antique artworks displayed in the exhibition hall, almost occupying all the space, leaving only some narrow aisles!

Maybe it's because it's not open all the year round, maybe it's because I don't understand traditional Chinese culture at all!

The way the Frenchmen displayed these Chinese antique works of art can be said to be simple and rude, with no sense of beauty at all. It is almost unbelievable that this is what the French did!

The Chinese antique artworks here are all collected in warehouses and placed on shelves. They don’t pay attention to the furnishings at all, let alone match them. One by one, it looks very messy and distressing!

Seeing the chaos in the exhibition hall, Ye Tian couldn't help cursing secretly.

"What a bastard chewing barley and ruining things! I feel so sorry for me!"