France is a country of art. Germany is a country of master craftsmen. Luxury cars such as Mercedes-Benz and BMW are supported by the high level of craftsmanship of German master craftsmen. They continue to produce uniform, high-quality products while meeting the strict demands of their customers. Meissen porcelain and Leica cameras are also produced by high-quality craftsmanship passed down from master craftsmen to their apprentices. The good traditions of Germany since the medieval guilds (apprenticeship system) are alive there. France is the country that caused the French Revolution. They deny tradition and create new things. It is also a country of individualism. In other words, tradition and other people are irrelevant. They make what they want to make. The first mission of an artist is to create original works. Other people should not do the same thing. Customers are irrelevant. They use all things from the past and present as nourishment to create their own world. Of course, they aim to have the same level of skill and technique as a craftsman or even higher, but the first condition for an artist is to establish originality.
When I was still a student in Paris, my cousin came to visit France with her husband. I usually only use the metro with a cheap monthly pass, but I took a taxi with my cousin and her husband's money. They were planning to take a train from Gare de l'Ouest. It had been a while since I had taken a taxi, so I was in full husband mode and ordered them to hurry and get to the station by 10 o'clock because I had to catch my train. The driver instantly became enraged at being ordered around by a young man in his twenties wearing worn-out pants and a tattered shirt. ``There are one-way streets, and there may be traffic jams. There is no guarantee that we can arrive at that time...etc.'' he said. Still, his anger did not subside, so he stopped the car, stood up, got out of the car, and continued to rage, yelling. The other person was excited and talking fast, and he was using a lot of slang, so I couldn't understand what he was saying. I felt like I was watching a Molière play. After the driver finished saying everything he wanted to say and calmed down, he got in the car and sat in the driver's seat. He couldn't find his glasses. He started looking for them frantically. My cousin is a calm person and knew where they were. Apparently, when the driver got out of the taxi earlier, he took off his glasses and put them on the roof of the taxi to vent more anger. When the driver got out of the car again after I told him, sure enough, the glasses were on the roof of the taxi. In the end, they missed the train and wandered around the station for about two hours until the next train. I joined them to kill time. Thanks to them, I got lunch for free. This is how comfortable a taxi is in Germany. One time, I took an Air France flight from Narita to Paris. However, due to a storm, the plane was unable to land at Charles de Gaulle Airport in Paris and made an emergency landing in Frankfurt, Germany. The passengers were given a free room at the luxury hotel Sheraton, and the flight departed for Paris the next morning. The next morning, I slept until the last possible moment, hurriedly packed my bags, and jumped into a taxi without shaving. I explained my situation to the taxi driver, who silently nodded and drove off at full speed. After all, there is no speed limit on the German autobahn. We arrived at the airport in about 10 minutes, and the driver pointed to his watch with a satisfied look on his face. German taxi drivers are indeed fine masters. They respond to customer orders with a high level of fidelity. This is the difference between an artistic temperament and a craftsman's temperament. Artists do what they want, and nothing good comes from interfering with artists. Artists are not suited to be taxi drivers.
German painters are easy to work with. If you ask them to paint something in a certain way, they will faithfully paint a similar painting. They will paint endless paintings with a good selling atmosphere. Of course, they have high technique and paint consistent, good works. Art dealers are very grateful for them. That is not the case with French painters. French people are sociable, fun to talk to, and considerate in many ways. However, when it comes to painting, they do not follow my orders. They paint what they want to paint. Of course, they are professional painters, so they understand the tastes of their customers very well. They try to get as close to my orders as possible. However, they never paint a painting exactly like my order. They understand my orders well and draw their own conclusions from them. So, they will not paint the exact same painting, but if you guide them well, you can pull the painter in the direction of a painting that sells. In other words, German painters are in a sense respectable masters rooted in tradition, while French painters are artists from the first to third class. It's up to each individual to decide which one they prefer.
The most difficult of our contracted artists is the genius Michel Henry. Michel Henry is sincere, professional, and has a deep understanding of business. However, he does not paint the paintings as ordered. No matter how much I ask or threaten him, it doesn't work. When I asked him to paint 10 pieces with the same atmosphere as this one, he said, ``Don't worry, I'll write it down in a notebook.'' Then, about half a year later, I received 10 new pieces from Michel Henry. None of them were the ones I had asked for. However, all of the works were original and wonderful. About half of the works always have an atmosphere that has never been seen before. Of course, there are also some paintings that are sometimes out of place. In other words, even at 80 years old, he is still searching for new paintings every day. In Paris, I had dinner with an art critic I know and Michel Henry. There, too, I asked Michel Henry to paint a painting. Art critics support me, saying, "If you paint exactly as Takeda says, it will sell, so paint exactly as he says, Michel." Michel Henry says, "I try to paint exactly as Takeda says, but my hand moves on its own and paints a different picture." It's probably true. In a symbolic sense. Michel Henry is a very clear-sighted person, who listens well to what people say and has a great understanding. And he is always willing to help me with my business. So he must understand what I'm saying and the situation very well. Also, if possible, he would want to meet my request. However, his talent and imagination probably won't allow it. Michel Henry has excellent painting skills and techniques, and is also conscious of the market. However, at the same time, he paints guided by the fountain of imagination and inspiration that wells up from within. In the end, it's no use giving instructions to an artist, especially a genius painter like Michel Henry. There is no other way than to respectfully enjoy the fruits of such talent. But I still give Michel Henry some instructions, in the hope that my instructions will stick in the back of his mind and have a slight influence on his inspiration.
As an aside, there was a painter who was in the same class as Michel Henry and suddenly became famous in France at the age of 20, and also in Japan. He continued to paint the same paintings from the age of 20 until his death. He apparently became quite rich and even owned a helicopter, but wasn't his life quite boring? A painter who was in the class next to Michel Henry at the École des Beaux-Arts in Paris is more famous in Japan than Michel Henry, but he continues to paint the same paintings he did 20 years ago. They are very good and respectable masters in the eyes of art dealers. Although I have a hard time dealing with French artists, I enjoy my job quite a bit.