Original Surrealist Signed Lithograph “Just Play the Game” Figural Fantasy Composition

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Robert Conrad Detamore Signed Lithograph

A highly imaginative and intellectually layered original signed intaglio print titled Just Play the Game … Read more Robert Conrad Detamore Signed Lithograph

A highly imaginative and intellectually layered original signed intaglio print titled Just Play the Game by American artist Robert Conrad Detamore. Executed in a richly detailed surrealist style, the composition presents a dreamlike theatrical environment populated by mechanized forms, symbolic figures, abstract devices, and enigmatic narrative elements that invite prolonged contemplation.
Pencil signed, Limited edition number 13/30.

The work masterfully blends psychological symbolism with intricate mechanical imagery, creating a visually compelling scene reminiscent of metaphysical and surrealist traditions associated with mid-20th century avant-garde printmaking. Central dancing figures interact within a strange engineered environment populated by wheel mechanisms, fragmented architecture, theatrical masks, and symbolic animal forms — all rendered with remarkable precision and tonal sophistication.

Detamore’s refined printmaking technique and carefully orchestrated composition demonstrate the artist’s strong command of line, texture, and visual storytelling. Selective touches of color heighten the dreamlike quality of the imagery while reinforcing the print’s theatrical and existential atmosphere.

Professionally housed in an elegant gilt wood frame, the piece possesses strong decorative and collector appeal, ideal for interiors ranging from modernist and eclectic to curated art-focused environments.

The composition reflects Robert Conrad Detamore’s fascination with the psychological and symbolic complexities of modern existence, rendered through surreal mechanical imagery and theatrical figuration. The artist described Just Play the Game as portraying “the artist as the dancer trying to exist in a Rube Goldberg type environment,” an interpretation that reinforces the work’s intellectual and existential character.

Dimensions:
24 1/2" High x 24 1/2" Wide x 1 1/4" Deep

Condition:
Presented in very good vintage condition with age-appropriate wear consistent with age and use. Frame displays minor surface wear and patina commensurate with age. Artwork presents beautifully overall.

About the Artist:
Robert Conrad Detamore was an American printmaker and surrealist-influenced artist active during the mid-to-late 20th century. Though relatively obscure compared to mainstream American modernists, his works are represented in institutional and public collections, including the Georgia Council for the Arts and the Brooklyn Museum. Detamore’s imagery often explored the psychological tensions of modern life through symbolic figuration, theatrical compositions, and complex mechanical environments reminiscent of surrealist and metaphysical traditions.

His prints combine highly detailed draftsmanship with imaginative narrative structures, frequently incorporating dreamlike symbolism, engineered forms, dancers, masks, and abstract devices that evoke existential and intellectual themes. Works such as Just Play the Game reflect the artist’s fascination with humanity navigating increasingly mechanized and psychologically layered environments.

Detamore’s work is particularly appreciated today for its sophisticated surrealist imagery, collector-oriented intellectual character, and distinctive blend of fantasy, symbolism, and mid-century American printmaking traditions. See less