[ eiden is dressed in his little ikea outfit from last week while his other clothes are drip drying back at the warehouse. he's got a coffee in his own hands, topper scarfed around his neck as he offers fei du a smile. ]
Been a while since I last went to a museum, gotta revisit the classics.
[ it's a history museum even, which... well, he was hoping to maybe find some answers and instead he's just confused, so he's. decided to simply enjoy it. ]
This one... [ he turns and has a look and his eyebrows tick up ] It's The Death of Socrates.
Well. This kind of thing is always up for interpretation - especially if we didn't know the title.
[ he regards the painting for a moment. ] After all, I've seen Luo Wenzhou make a similar face when he was lecturing the rest of the Police Bureau - on first glance, that's what it looks like, just a teacher scolding or teaching his students while another attends him with a drink. Maybe he's shamed.
But, we do know the title. Socrates was sentenced to death for corrupting the youth of Athens through his teachings, and the chosen method of execution was drinking poison hemlock, which is what is in that bowl. Supposedly, he faced it with grace and courage, and took it as a final chance to impart a lesson on his students.
[ much different than uh. their execution yesterday. whew. ] Ingenues that we consider philosophers and influencers of history faced this fate often.
Mmm, you can say a lot of pretentious things about any piece of art. It's funny how that works. It makes it hard to relate to or even think about beyond the fact that it's old paint on canvas.
[ he takes a sip of coffee because i felt like matching. but he also has to think. it's clear he doesn't think that way, he's genuinely gazing at the work with a quiet awe, someone who hasn't really seen something like this up close and personal. it feels like he's witnessing a treasure. ]
Grace in the face of adversity, because courage isn't the only thing you need... [ also lesbians? ]
Correct. And the chance to show his students that he was true to his teachings to the end - that the civil principles of law are important, and you have to follow them, even if it means you face consequences. The law found him guilty, so he took the punishment.
[ fei du's expression stays neutral as he explains, casual and comfortable with the information; letting the weight of the message sink in. ]
As for being pretentious - that's very true! I have many friends who would do exactly that. I like the ones with a bit of history to them, personally. I'm no artist like you, of course, but I like to think I have a good eye for this kind of thing.
I mean, I didn't want to roll my eyes when you talked so I'd say that you did pretty well.
[ eiden gazes at the painting, a small smile on the corners of his lips as he lets his eyes trail from the finger pointing upwards to the figure looking away from the act of handing the cup over. ]
Seems more appropriate now than ever... like we need the reminder.
[ he shakes his head. ]
The history behind a piece is important, down to every brushstroke.
[ he gives him a the thin-lipped smile that says a lot without saying anything at all, glancing out of the side of his eye. ]
I don't know, I think you did just fine. All my expertise is... [ waves a hand ] mostly from a lot of odd jobs I did. Had a lot when I was a kid. The rest is just learned through whatever I could teach myself after the schooling I got before I left... [ he trails off and waves a hand. ]
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no subject
Been a while since I last went to a museum, gotta revisit the classics.
[ it's a history museum even, which... well, he was hoping to maybe find some answers and instead he's just confused, so he's. decided to simply enjoy it. ]
This one... [ he turns and has a look and his eyebrows tick up ] It's The Death of Socrates.
no subject
fei du smiles back at him when he does - glances briefly at topper but otherwise ignores him - and then resumes looking up at the painting. ]
Mm. Good eye. Do you know much of the story of this one?
no subject
Not really. [ stepping up to look at it alongside him. ] Do you mind telling me?
no subject
[ he regards the painting for a moment. ] After all, I've seen Luo Wenzhou make a similar face when he was lecturing the rest of the Police Bureau - on first glance, that's what it looks like, just a teacher scolding or teaching his students while another attends him with a drink. Maybe he's shamed.
But, we do know the title. Socrates was sentenced to death for corrupting the youth of Athens through his teachings, and the chosen method of execution was drinking poison hemlock, which is what is in that bowl. Supposedly, he faced it with grace and courage, and took it as a final chance to impart a lesson on his students.
[ much different than uh. their execution yesterday. whew. ] Ingenues that we consider philosophers and influencers of history faced this fate often.
no subject
[ he takes a sip of coffee because i felt like matching. but he also has to think. it's clear he doesn't think that way, he's genuinely gazing at the work with a quiet awe, someone who hasn't really seen something like this up close and personal. it feels like he's witnessing a treasure. ]
Grace in the face of adversity, because courage isn't the only thing you need... [ also lesbians? ]
no subject
[ fei du's expression stays neutral as he explains, casual and comfortable with the information; letting the weight of the message sink in. ]
As for being pretentious - that's very true! I have many friends who would do exactly that. I like the ones with a bit of history to them, personally. I'm no artist like you, of course, but I like to think I have a good eye for this kind of thing.
no subject
[ eiden gazes at the painting, a small smile on the corners of his lips as he lets his eyes trail from the finger pointing upwards to the figure looking away from the act of handing the cup over. ]
Seems more appropriate now than ever... like we need the reminder.
[ he shakes his head. ]
The history behind a piece is important, down to every brushstroke.
no subject
[ that comes with a laugh; as the subject gets a bit more somber, though, his mood changes with it, nodding along. ]
And you're right. Then again, I can't say I'm that surprised that you are - this is more your area of expertise than mine.
no subject
[ he gives him a the thin-lipped smile that says a lot without saying anything at all, glancing out of the side of his eye. ]
I don't know, I think you did just fine. All my expertise is... [ waves a hand ] mostly from a lot of odd jobs I did. Had a lot when I was a kid. The rest is just learned through whatever I could teach myself after the schooling I got before I left... [ he trails off and waves a hand. ]