Spray paint, acrylic and gold leaf on gessoed cradled panel, 45x62x4cm
The phrase “We will all laugh at gilded butterflies” from Shakespeare’s King Lear symbolises the rejection of vanity and superficiality. A butterfly is already naturally beautiful, and to “gild” it—cover it in gold—is unnecessary ornamentation that represents false glamour and shallow values. To laugh at such gilded butterflies is to rise above these illusions, choosing instead simplicity, truth, and genuine human connection. This phrase and painting reflects a freedom of spirit, the ability to see through appearances, and a quiet joy in what is real and enduring.