Hesse was a monk-artist. Before he began painting, he always insisted on being paid in advance and asked for a high price. He was known as a "miserly artist".
One day a geisha commissioned him to paint.
- How much can you pay? - Hessen asked.
“As much as you ask,” the girl answered, “but I want you to work in front of me.”
So, on a certain day, Gessen was called to the geisha. She was organizing a holiday for her patron. Hesse worked hard on the painting. When the painting was completed, he asked for the highest price ever heard of in his time.
He received the requested amount, and the geisha, turning to her patron, said:
— This artist only wants money. His paintings are beautiful, but his mind is low. Money corrupted him. It is impossible to show a picture painted by such a disgusting person. It only fits one of my petticoats.
Lifting the skirt, she asked Gessen to make a different design on the underside of the skirt.
- How much can you pay? - Hessen asked.
- Oh, as many as you want! - the girl answered.
Gessen named a fantastic price, painted the picture as required and left.
Later they learned that Gessen had reasons for saving money.
His province was often hit by devastating famines. The rich did not help the poor, so Hesse had a secret warehouse, unknown to anyone, which he filled with grain in case of disaster.
The road from his village to the national shrine was very neglected, and travelers suffered greatly from this. He wanted to build a better road.
His teacher died without realizing his desire to build a temple, and Hesse wanted to build this temple for him.
After Gessen fulfilled his three wishes, he abandoned his brushes and artist's supplies and, retiring to the mountains, never painted again.
Translated from Russian · original on wisdomlib.ru