absolute peak, masterpiece, cinema. I really enjoyed rereading this story. I like how raymond didnt completely change, he remained somewhat his old self, a tad bit possessive person but learned how to keep it in check and live a happily ever after fulfilling life with ian. Poor Ian he suffered so much for so long... im glad they managed to find their own happiness within one another. I honestly cant express how much i adore this mangaka and author. they both done an amazing job. i laughed out loud every time we saw the mc's true talent snce that also shows and proves how skilled the artist is but genuinely refuses to put in that amount of effort and time to make every single panel that detailed and beautiful. Oh and lets not forget to talk about the plot. Oh my it was so thought out, immaculate plotline. kept me on the edge of my toes, so my twist and unseen turns kept making me surprised and thirsty for more. Ah i wish there was more to read but they wrapped up the plot neatly. There werent any plotholes as far as i can tell every plot thread (?) reached its goal..(?) Since i lost the essays i wrote about this a long time ago, i feel that its my duty to rewrite it and do it even better than ever, since its been AGES and i mean if i remember correctly i read this between 2021-2023 (maybe?), so its been at least 3 years and my memory is mostly hazy from that time. Im glad i chose to read this again, since i read it such a long time ago i forgot most of the plot (except like 3 mayor part, the beginning, end and some part of the arc with the princess) The art is okay, the plot is magnificient, the characters are nice and i feel that this is such a refreshing story since it feels more real than your average manga/manhua/manhwa. It potrayed the hardships of the times where social class is essential, the consequences of terrible ruling and the burden of our actions and choices. To be honest, I cant wait until I find the novel, i hope its translated and i can read it for free, and also i wish to read more from this mangaka and author in the near future, altough its been already, what, 5 years, since this was updated here... what a shame. I love the unique dynamic (merchant x painter), that the main character is a kind hearted genius and the male lead is a scheming clever shrewed person.. Ah, i know this isnt everyone's cup of tea, but at least they were plenty consentful and their relationship is kinda co-dependent it still feels healthy. How nice to be able to spend with such a work of art. AND it almost slipped my mind, the quotes:
"A bird that spends its entire life inside a cage cannot dream about the sky" - ch 3
"Even the prettiest flower is useless if stepped on before it blossoms." -ch 19
Ah end that long monologue on the last chapter... immaculate. Im sad now that this has ended. It actually took me quiet some some time to read it all (3-4 days and 2 hours/day)
A Painter Behind the Curtain