A tragic cowboy clown. Performer and prisoner.
This King of Spades wears the tools of laughter, but his face has forgotten how.

He clutches his sword and cup — not as symbols of power, but as burdens he never chose.
In The King Who Couldn’t Smile, Papayon collapses masculinity into absurdity:
Honor meets artifice. Duty meets parody.

Rendered in flat colors and childlike defiance, this king doesn’t play by the rules.
He just keeps showing up — hat on, dignity bruised, grin gone.

Details
• One-of-a-kind artwork by Papayon
• Oil on paper
• 14 × 11 in (unframed)
• Ships from Houston, TX
• Certificate of authenticity included

Original artwork by Papayon. Resilience and spiritual themes. Oil on paper, 14x11in. Worldwide shipping and a certificate of authenticity.