17th Mar, 2026 18:00

Urban & Contemporary Art

Lot 131

Lot 131 - Damien Hirst (British 1965-), 'Emerge, from Butterfly Etchings', 2009

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Damien Hirst (British 1965-), 'Emerge, from Butterfly Etchings', 2009

Estimated at £3,000 - £5,000

Condition Report

In very good condition
No visible knocks, tears or creases to the sheet
One extremely minor 'speckle' to the lower left hand corner of the sheet, visible upon very close inspection
This work has been framed in a black frame and has been float mounted, leaving all corners and edges of the sheet visible
This work has not been examined outside of the frame.

Damien Hirst (British 1965-), 'Emerge, from Butterfly Etchings', 2009, etching and aquatint in colours on wove paper, signed and numbered from an edition of 45 in pencil, with the artist's inkstamp, published by Other Criteria; sheet: 47.3 x 39.3cm (framed)

ARR

Auction: Urban & Contemporary Art, 17th Mar, 2026

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Damien Hirst

Damien Hirst, a prominent figure among the Young British Artists who gained recognition in late 1980s London, is regarded as one of the most controversial artists of his era. He has challenged the boundaries of fine art and conventional taste through his sculptures featuring deceased animals preserved in formaldehyde, a multitude of spot paintings that resemble mass-produced items yet command prices in the millions, and the ostentatious For the Love of God (2007), a human skull adorned with 8,601 diamonds. Hirst's body of work, which includes installations, sculptures, drawings, and paintings, delves into themes such as religion, mortality, and desire. Since the inception of “Freeze” in 1988, a pivotal exhibition showcasing his creations alongside those of his peers from Goldsmiths College, he has been featured in significant exhibitions at institutions such as Tate Modern in London, the National Gallery of Art in Washington, D.C., and the Rijksmuseum in Amsterdam. In 2008, Hirst sparked controversy with “Beautiful Inside my Head Forever,” an auction where he sold his artwork directly to the public, amassing approximately $200 million. His individual pieces have fetched over $10 million at auction.