繼昨天關於藝術價值的討論，想起這個故事。我們憑什麽去妄斷一幅作品的價值？
在美國有一位富商，他有一個獨生子名叫亨利，父子倆有個共同的嗜好，就是喜歡收藏藝術品，尤其是名家的畫作，從畢加索到拉斐爾的作品，父子倆都視若珍寶，經常坐在一起一邊品著紅酒，一邊欣賞藝術大師的畫作。
越南戰爭爆發了，亨利奔赴戰場，參加了戰鬥。不幸的是，在一次戰鬥中，亨利為了救自己的戰友，中槍身亡。老父親得知此事，傷心欲絕，要知道，有什麽比年老喪子更悲痛的呢？況且他隻有這唯一的兒子。
一個多月過去了，眼看就要過聖誕節了，有一天，門鈴響了，老父親打開門，門口站著一個年輕人，他的手裏還拿著一個大包裹。“你找誰呀？”老人問道。 “先生，您不認識我。我是您的兒子亨利的戰友，他是為了救我而犧牲的。那一天，他救了很多人，當他把我背到安全的地帶時，突然一顆子彈擊中了他的心髒，就 這樣，他離開了我們————。”年輕人說著說著，泣不成聲，老父親的眼中也滿是淚水。隨後，年輕人頓了一下，調整了一下自己的情緒，“亨利經常跟我說起 您，他說您特別喜歡藝術，尤其是繪畫。”年輕人拿起了他帶來的包裹，“我知道這不值什麽錢，我也不是有名的畫家，隻是以前學過一點，但我知道，您的兒子亨 利非常希望您能天天看到這幅畫。”
老父親打開包裹，是一幅人物肖像，畫的就是他的兒子亨利。讓他驚奇的是，這位完全抓住了他兒子的神態特點，尤其是那雙眼睛仿佛在說：“爸爸我回來陪 您了。”老父親擦了擦眼淚，向年輕人表示感謝，並要花錢買下它。“噢，不，先生如果用金錢來計算，那亨利給我的，我永遠也無法還清。很高興您喜歡這幅畫， 您收下它吧，這是我送給您的禮物。”
老父親送走了年輕人，就把兒子的肖像掛在了房間裏最顯眼的位置，並給它起了個名字叫《兒子》。從此以後，每次有上門欣賞名家畫作的拜訪者，老父親都 會讓他們先欣賞兒子的這幅肖像，然後才會拿出來他其他的收藏品。
幾個月後，老父也離開了人世。老人留下了遺囑，要將他所有的收藏進行拍賣。拍賣會那一 天，來了許多有聲望的社會名流和大人物，他們都非常興奮，因為能看到如此多的名家畫作，並且有機會將其收入自己的囊中。在拍賣現場正中，掛著《兒子》這幅 畫。
拍賣官敲響了手中的槌子，“請大家安靜，拍賣會開始了，首先將要拍賣的是這幅名為《兒子》的畫，畫中是收藏者的兒子亨利。”台下先是一片安靜，隨後 變得嘈雜起來，一個聲音喊道：“我們想要買那些名家畫作，拿走這幅畫吧，沒人想買這個。”但是拍賣官依然詢問著：“有人想要競拍這幅畫作嗎？誰先出個 價？100美元？200美元？台下又有一個聲音生氣地喊了起來：“我們來這兒不是看這幅畫的，快拿走，我們是來看梵高、倫布蘭特的畫的，趕快拿出真正的名 畫來！”但拍賣官似乎沒有聽見，繼續說道：“《兒子》，《兒子》，誰想要把這幅《兒子》帶回家？”
會場後麵有一個虛弱的聲音喊道：“我出10美元買這幅畫。”說話的老人是亨利家的老園丁，10美元是他能拿出的所有的錢。“有人出價10美元，還有 人想出20美元嗎？”拍賣官說道。台下嘈雜一片，台下的人有些生氣，所有人都是衝著那些且有價值的名家畫作來的，沒人想要買這幅壓根沒有名氣的畫，更不願 在它身上浪費自己的時間。“10美元一次，兩次---------成交！”拍賣官敲下了手中的槌子。“現在可以拿出真正的珍品了吧？”台下有人迫不及待地 喊道。
“很抱歉，拍賣結束了。”拍賣官說道。台下一片嘈雜，“什麽？那些名家畫作呢？台下的人怒喊道。
拍賣官說：“各位，非常抱歉，我來主持這場拍賣會之前被告知了一個關於畫作主人遺囑的秘密。直到現在，我才能把真相告訴你們，這場拍賣會隻有這幅 《兒子》拍賣，誰買下這幅畫，誰就將繼承這位老人的所有遺產，包括他收藏的畫作。他生前說：‘誰帶走我的兒子，誰就得到我所有的一切”
英文版：
A wealthy man and his son loved to collect rare works of art. They had everything in their collection, from Picasso to Raphael. They would often sit together and admire the great works of art. When the Vietnam conflict broke out, the son went to war. He was very courageous and died in battle while rescuing another soldier. The father was notified and grieved deeply for his only son. About a month later, just before Christmas, there was a knock at the door. A young man stood at the door with a large package in his hands. He said, “Sir, you don’t know me, but I am the soldier for whom your son gave his life. He saved many lives that day, and he was carrying me to safety when a bullet struck him in the heart and he died instantly. He often talked about you, and your love for art.”
The young man held out his package. “I know this isn’t very much, I’m not really a great artist, but I think your son would have wanted you to have this.” The father opened the package. It was a portrait of his son, painted by the young man. He stared in awe at the way the soldier had captured the personality of his son in the painting. The father was so drawn to the eyes that his own eyes welled up with tears. He thanked the young man and offered to pay him for the picture. “Oh, no sir, I could never repay what your son did for me. It’s a gift.” The father hung the portrait over his mantle. Every time visitors came to his home he took them to see the portrait of his son before he showed them any of the great works of art he had collected.
The man died a few months later. Shortly thereafter, there was to be a great auction of his paintings. Many influential people gathered, excited over seeing the great paintings and having the opportunity to purchase one for their collection. On the platform sat the painting of the son. The auctioneer pounded his gavel. “We will start the bidding with this picture of the son. Who will bid for this picture?” There was silence. Then a voice in the back of the room shouted, “We want to see the famous paintings. Skip this one.” But the auctioneer persisted. “Will someone bid for this painting? Who will start the bidding? $100, $200?” Another voice shouted angrily. “We didn’t come to see this painting. We came to see the Van Goghs, the Rembrandts. Get on with the real bids!” But still the auctioneer continued. “The son! The son! Who’ll take the son?”
Finally, a voice came from the very back of the room. It was the longtime gardener of the man and his son. “I’ll give $10 for the painting.” Being a poor man, it was all he could afford. “We have $10, who will bid $20?” “Give it to him for $10. Let’s see the masters.” The crowd was becoming angry. They didn’t want the picture of the son. They wanted the more worthy investments for their collections. The auctioneer pounded the gavel. “Going once, going twice, SOLD for $10!” A man sitting on the second row shouted, “Now let’s get on with the collection.”
The auctioneer laid down his gavel. “I’m sorry, the auction is over.” “What about the paintings?” “I am sorry. When I was called to conduct this auction, I was told of a secret stipulation in the will. I was not allowed to reveal that stipulation until this time. Only the painting of the son would be auctioned. Whoever bought that painting would inherit the entire estate, including the paintings. The man who took the son gets every thing!”
