Fantabulous Nanomorphique Adventure of M Hardoon Rotman - (Week 5)

[Previous Week Plot Review]

Catherine and Cassandra followed the flows of the visitors through the display cases in the rotunda. Cassandra kept telling her mother that there was a man lying on the ceiling. Catherine checked but did not see any strange things on the ceiling.

It was almost the closing time, they went to the elevator and descended to the first level of basement where Catherine’s office was located. She decided to take another look at a piece that was not included in the exhibition – an Amethyst with bizarre “behaviors.”

 & TWO  –  Mosaic Replica of “Napoleon’s Coronation”    < Week V >

The entire basement was an open space, all the items it stored, no matter a box, a drawer, or a shelf were in full display. The dimension was about 50 meters long and 20 meters wide, but its height was rather deceiving, because of a sunken area sat in the middle.

This sunken area was enclosed by a walkway about 2 meters wide along the four walls. At each corner, and in the middle of each side of the walkways, a small 5-step cement stair descended into the sunken well. Thus, this unusual layout gave the basement an extra height, almost equal to one and a half level of regular floor.

Three large desks, a long table, with chairs, and several filing cabinets were arranged at the south end of the sunken area, here, Catharine and two assistants performed their daily duties.

But as one stepped out of the elevator, the real eye catcher was not exactly the vast space, nor its massive storage. The first thing one’s eye would encounter was a huge mosaic mural on the east side wall. Expanding almost half of the length of the wall, the mural was a replica of Jacques-Louis David's ‘The Coronation of Napoleon.’

The historical event of Napoleon and Josephine’s coronation happened on December 2nd, 1804; and the location was Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris. David’s painting depicted the very moment Napoleon holding the crown aloft for Josephine’s coronation.

Jacques-Louis David started this painting in 1805, and finished it by the end of 1807. The original painting, now in the Louvre, was gigantic 6 meters by 10 meters. But this mural focused on the two major roles, particularly Josephine whose kneeling figure, with the long train of the coronation mantle embroidered with gold bees, covered two thirds of the lower half of the replica. Also because of it was in mosaic style, the entire mural resonated a breath-taking effect of mesmerising fabrication of color and shape!

This mural became museum's hidden gem; via special request, organizations and groups were granted permission to descend to here and to be marveled by this art piece of its own.

The elevator door opened, and Cassandra bounced up and down all the way to the mural and stood in front of Josephine, the slightly bowing head of Josephine was just about at her eye level. This was almost a ritual whenever she had a chance visiting her mother’s office, stopping in front of the mural first. She would stand there for a long time, not staring at Josephine, but at her mantle, imagining and counting how many bees could be embroidered on it. She had counted with Napoleon’s mantle a few times already.

Catherine went directly to her office, but said to her daughter: "Don't stay outside too long, coming back to the office soon." The "outside" was the walkway, the sunken well naturally was the "inside;" because along the inner edge of the walkway, 18 electronic surveillance columns were installed. 7 at each long side, and 2 at each short side.

The columns were made of aluminum alloy, stood from the floor to the ceiling, and equipped with the most advanced electronic surveillance technology. The columns threaded a 3D invisible grid of complicated net, securing the entire collection on this floor. Each column was about 3 inches in diameter, the surfaces were covered with irregular shallow cuts of lines and iconic designs and they in turn were encrusted with crystal glasses. From these shallow crystal inlays, green florescent lights flashed at random intervals, scanning the outside world. These watchful rods and lights added a surreal atmosphere to the entire basement.

Storage cases, boxes, cabinets were orderly arranged in this sunken well, several movable stairs were available for reaching object on the higher shelves.

This advanced electronic security system was all controlled from the third floor Security Room at the south end, overlooking the rotunda. The room was in fact a glass box, with floor to ceiling walls of black one-way mirror.

All the artifacts stored here, no matter its size, as soon as received by the museum, would be scanned into the system, and the system would start tracking it 24/7. Therefore, to steal or smuggle any piece of the collection out of the museum would not be possible!

Catherine swiped her ID card through a slot on the Electronic Column, then entered into her office. She wanted to take a closer look at the piece she insisted not to be included in the exhibition, a crystal looked like an amethyst.

[To be continued next week]

Coloring the comic strip

Finally I figured out how to color my comic strip.

Also the Buddha stature in my illustration is based on an amazing Gandhara Buddha stature, here is a photo, the original is in Guimet Museum in Paris.

Fantabulous Nanomorphique Adventure of M Hardoon Rotman - (Week 4)

[Previous Week Plot Review]

The Jade Exhibition held at the Pellimet Museum in Paris attracted great audiences, but the most eye-catching item in the exhibition rotunda, was a huge poster, hanging over the balcony banister from the 3rd floor to the middle of the 1st floor.

The poster was a lovely photograph of a couple – Alfonse de Baux, the original owner of the ancient Chinese artifacts, and his fiancée, Chinese movie star Tang Meiye; both in Chinese period costumes.

This highly anticipated exhibition was about to open in two days, but what happened next stunned the entire city of Paris! Alfonse de Baux disappeared into thin air!

With such unexpected happening, Parisians were even more anxious to see the exhibition, therefore it was a block buster on the opening day, and the museum almost received non-stop visitors from the morning to the night!

Catherine and Cassandra stopped by in the early evening and followed the visitors through the exhibition.

But Cassandra raised her head and looked up again and again, the mother asked what she saw, she said there was a man on the ceiling.

ONE  –  The little girl looked up again and again  – Continue  <Week IV>

Catherine again squinted her eyes and looked at the vault ceiling, still, nothing seemed to be out of the ordinary. But she somehow knew that she could not ignore her daughter's acute senses. She discovered that Cassandra, at a very early age, exhibited telepathic abilities.

 "A man? on the ceiling? How is that possible?"

She focused on the stucco surface of the diamond shapes, searching for signs of cracks, flaked paints, or even remote possibility of a bird nest illegally set up in a hidden corner.

If any of those cases happened, she would have to report them to the engineer department of the museum for repair jobs to be done; but the ceiling right now looked in a mint condition to her.

"There is a man lying on the ceiling." Cassandra said.

"How can a man lying on the ceiling?"

"like a lizard."

"Lizard is crawling on the wall, or on the ceiling, with its four legs, not lying there."

A group of visitors led by a guide moved to the glass case where they was viewing.  They heard the guide said: "In this glass case, we see this jade piece, caused quite a debate in the academic world. From the shape and color of the jade, it should be, as Chinese scholars would call it, a CONG, it is a ritual piece used in various religious ceremonies, but when the museum received the collection, it was mixed among a small amount of Mayan jade pieces. Our researchers wanted to raise the question to Mr. de Baux directly, but unfortunately, Mr. de Baux suddenly disappeared several days ago, right now, searching efforts were launched all over the world, yet all in vain; therefore, unless we find Mr. de Baux, otherwise, no one could answer this question: why a Chinese jade was in the midst of Mayan pieces."

Cassandra saw that her mother's attention was shifted to the visitors, listening on the guide's explanation; she tucked on her mother's clothe again, and pointed her finger to the vault.

Catherine looked at her wrist watch, then softly said: "Silly girl, let's go back to my office, there is another piece, I need to take another look."

Catherine's office was on the first level of basement. Mother and daughter had to take elevator at the north side of the circle, where the entrance to the rectangular building connected to the rotunda.

Pellimet Museum had two levels of basement, where all museum's collections were stored. But the basement space was not as big as the entire street block; because there was no sub-level underneath the rotunda.

She picked up her daughter's hand and went for the elevator by the entrance to the rectangular section of the building.

The third floor of this rectangular building was mainly offices for the employees, with the Electronic Control and Security Room at the south end, overlooking the rotunda.

The first and second floor were various sized room for themed exhibitions.

On the first floor, the entire space was divided into 3 sections by two walkways. The middle section was larger than the two flanking sections of equal size. They were utilized for specific themed collections of the museum.

Two passenger elevators were located at the end of the west section. The space in front of the elevators, was a 6-foot wide “curved” corridor separating the rectangular section with the rotunda.

Only elevator number two stopped at all five floors, i.e., from the third floor to the second level basement. Elevator number one descent down to the top level basement only, skipping the second level.

At the north end of the building, two more service elevators situated next to the fire exit, one at each corner. The one on the east side was a freight elevator, three times larger than the stander size, to accommodate any over-sized artwork.

At the end of the east section, in the middle of the curved corridor, a beautiful and grandeur spiral staircase twisted and twined from the first floor, through the second floor, landed on the third floor balcony. It was pretty spacious, wide enough for a two-way traffic, as long as each using the right side.

Only a packed exhibition like this one, the museum kept it for one-way traffic only, upstream in the morning and downstream in the afternoon; any wrong direction at the wrong time, would have to wait for the elevator.

(To be continued next week)

Poster for Jade Exhibition at Pellimet Museum in Paris

Fantabulous Nanomorphique Adenture of M Hardoon Rotman (Week 3)

[Previous Week Plot Review]

Musée Pellimet des arts asiatique de Paris was holding a unique Chinese Jade exhibition. The contents of this exhibition were donated to the museum by a Marseille entrepreneur and philanthropist Alfonse de Baux.

Certain strange anomalies presented among this donations posed difficulties in analyzing the history and origin of the pieces.

After a close examination of all the artifacts, the museum archaeologist, Dr. Catherine Denver was totally baffled by two pieces which seemed to be beyond any earthly means of analyzation!

One was a Chinese Jade Cong, one was an Amethyst.

[ONE  –  The little girl looked up again and again]  – Continue <WEEK III>

Act in their promotional role, Dr. Tertois and Catherine appeared on several television and radio shows.

Other than the museum’s promotion, the philanthropist himself also vehemently involved in a major role of publicity; using his celebrity status and accompanied by his fiancée, the Chinese movie star Tang Meiye who had even a bigger celebrity status, attended every possible press conferences, art exhibition openings, and movie premieres.

Frequently he was questioned on the spot by the press, about his donation to Pellimet Museum; the source of his collection, under what circumstances he acquired these pieces, etc. He was very evasive towards these enquiries, only stated that he will explain everything at the opening day ceremony.

Highlight to all the buzz, was a huge poster, hanging over the banister of the third-floor balcony in the museum. It was the photo of the couple. Both in Chinese attires; Tang Meiye was in "Little Phoenix" style costume - a high-collar, narrow-waist jacket and plaited skirt in vermilion satin with gold peony embroidery.  He was in traditional Chinese man's costume – fitted satin robe with “Lucky-Bat” icon texture, a vest, and a “melon-skin” hat.

They both supposed to attend the opening ceremony, but something unexpected happened, two days before the opening, Alfonse de Baux disappeared, a global search was conducted, but he was nowhere to be found！

Tang Meiye appeared at the ceremony, but did not answer any media questions. A pair of dark sun glasses hid her red and puffed eyes. The silence treatment whetted up a bigger public appetite both French and International. Curiosities and guesses alike created rumors: “is his disappearance linked to the mysterious Mayan civilization? Or to the ancient Chinese civilization?” “Could it be possible some jade pieces carry some kind of ‘curse?’ similar to the mummies of Egypt?”

All these whispers and unanswered questions, stroke a nerve of Parisian press; consequently it all made this exhibition the biggest event of the decade.

The ribbon cutting cocktail party stated at ten o'clock in the morning.  Tang Meiye appeared, but did not participate in any of the ceremonies, just silently sitting on the VIP seat, wearing a wide brimmed hat and a pair of big dark sun glasses.  Next to her sat Melane de Baux, Alfonse's younger sister, who was attending on her brother's behalf. Flashlights sparkled hundreds of times, focused on them.

The exhibition opened to the public at one o'clock in the afternoon. The lineup started early in the morning, by the time the door opened up, the line of outside waiting people almost encircled the entire block.

There was a non-stop flow the entire afternoon, endless people and groups came in to see this famous collection, yet all in a controlled manner. Newly recruited and quickly trained guides were in high spirit, but obviously exhausted towards the end of day.

Now it was seven o'clock at night, just a little while further to go before closing time, the rotunda was still full of people and activities, at least three groups in an orderly manner, followed their guide, visiting each glassed display. The guides were particularly trained not to swoon on to the cases two groups at the same time.

At the present, Catherine searched the beautiful vault ceiling, nothing seemed out of place to her, she returned to the glass case.

Inside the case, under bright illumination, was a dark brown colored CONG. At a first glance, it was no doubt a typical Chinese jade that could belong to the Red Mountain period or the Liang Wet Land period.

But after a second look any scholar would raise a few questions. This CONG, compared with any existing antique ones, differed both in size and in shape; it was 5 millimeter longer and 3 millimeter thicker, and it was a hexagon!

Catherine found it impossible to tackle all these problems in such a short time. She would have to know the history of the pieces and even to visit the exact locations where they had been excavated.

She tried to ask Alfonse de Baux directly, but did not find any opportunity to do so before his disappearance.

Facing so many uncertainties, Catherine put a lot of question marks on the index card posted at the corner of the glass case. The line indicates the origin of this CONG was marked: "Unknown."

At the moment, Casandra suddenly raised her head again and stared at the vault with its slow color-changing illumination from outside. Then she pulled on her mother's clothe.

"Cass, what's the matter?"

"Maman, there is a man on the ceiling."

(To be continued next week)

Mapping Amethyst

Amethyst is one of the major characters in my sci-fi novel: The Fantabulous Nanomorphique Adventure of M Hardoon Rotman. This mapping will be the guideline for a GIF file later.

Fantabulous Nanomorphique Adventure of M. Hardoon Rotman - Week 2

[Last Week Plot Review]

Dr. Catherine Denver, the resident Archaeologist of Pellimet museum in Paris, brought her daughter, Cassandra to see the exhibition on the opening night. They moved around following the crowd's flow through each exhibition case, examining various Chinese Jades.

But Cassandra raised her head up several times, checking the domed ceiling 5 stories high above.

Catherine asked her what she saw there.

Catherine knew her daughter, even at very young age, had shown "telepathic" abilities.

So she also looked up at the coffered ceiling, checking for any strange signs.

But this would not be the first and only strange thing she had encountered, ever since the museum accepted these jade artifacts donated by Mr. Alphonso de Baux, an entrepreneur, philanthropist, and a Casanova from Marseille, France.

ONE  –  The little girl looked up again and again  – Continued  <Week II>

The uncertainty of many of the artifacts and the lack of time for further study increased the difficulties for Catherine to post introduction notes by the displaying cases.  She had no choice but to use question marks wherever she was unable to confirm!

The entire collection contained more than 30 pieces. After the preliminary examination, Catherine discovered that it would take years to verify and authenticate all the Chinese artifacts, because they were from several major ancient cultural sites, as well as historical periods in China; and yet Alphonso de Baux insisted that his collection be opened to Parisians one month after the donation.

Catherine and the museum's Chief Curator, Dr. Jacques Tertois, after some serious discussions, made several decisions; they decided on actual number of pieces to be displayed, guidelines to provide accountable information for each piece, etc.

Dr. Tertois even compiled extensive training materials, to prepare newly recruited exhibition guides for their temporary job.

He gave this exhibition an innovative title: "Discover the Ancient Secretes and New Technologies of the Chinese Jade."

He explained that these small pieces of ancient Chinese jade, resembled very much the bolts and nuts of a modern machine; some were round beads, some flat ones with teethed edge; other discs had eccentric circles carved on the surface, some were small rectangular rods with round hole in the middle. Of course, many other pieces for sure had ceremonial and religious purposes.

The word "discover" in the title came directly from Alphonso de Baux's company name: "Société de Technologie de Découverte."

Using these words, Dr. Tertois meant to encourage Dr. Denver to further her study and research into these precious artifacts.

With or without encouragement, it was Catherine's duty to get to the bottom of all the anomalies. By first glance, it was quite easy for Catherine to pick out several pieces which were clearly not Chinese but belonged to Mesoamerica Mayan civilization!

The symbolic meaning and importance of Mayan jade to the ancient Mayan people might have been parallel to that of the Chinese jade regarded by the ancient Chinese. Yet, the design details were rather distinctively different from each other.

Then there were two pieces; one from each group, rendered her study in limbo!

The first was a Chinese Jade Cong 琮, a religious and ceremonial piece, its standard shape was a rectangular rod, in the size of a pinky, but with a round hole in the center. The discrepancy was, it was a hexagon, and it had no round central cut out.

The second was even more puzzling. It was a free-shaped, palm-sized crystal rock, purple in color, it should be an “Amethyst,” but Catherine had never seen an amethyst like this, neither could she figure out what the real material was.

Her instinct told her that these two pieces must be related to the mysterious Mayan Crystals, but without any chance for further investigation, she might need to consult a mineralogist for help.