WALTER DOLPHYN | Jokers Wild
Oil on Panel
80 x 70 cms / 31½ x 27½ inches
Walter Dolphyn’s Jokers Wild transforms a cabinet of curiosities into a masterful still life, rich with narrative and intrigue. With astonishing trompe l’oeil precision, the artist arranges toys, trinkets, and artistic tools in a playful yet meticulously composed tableau. A reflection on collecting, storytelling, and chance, this exquisite painting invites viewers to unravel its secrets. Gladwell & Patterson is proud to display this exceptional example of the artists work.
Born in Antwerp in 1963, Walter Dolphyn grew up in an artistic milieu. His father Willem, grandfather Victor, the esteemed artist and former professor at the Antwerp Royal Academy of Arts, and his great-uncle Denis were all painters, each with their own distinctive styles.
Following in his father’s footsteps, Walter chose to pursue the art of still life painting, but with a focus on collectible items: toys, figurines, gadgets, and miniatures, all vividly rendered with exquisite painterly precision.
The art of narrative is at the heart of Walter’s practice. Jokingly self-styled as the Hieronymous Bosch of his age, above all Walter aims to tell stories.
Inspired by the toys or figures themselves or by an everyday observation, he then directs the protagonists, sometimes solitary, sometimes in various surreal combinations, often poised mid-action, or crowded into vitrines and onto shelves.
His paintings are intricately detailed and strive to render the qualities of different materials.
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