Gauntlet Gallery — Complete Damien Hirst Print Index
Fate
Work Summary & Collector Notes
Fate is a 2009 etching measuring 47.3 x 39.3 cm, published by Other Criteria in a signed and numbered edition of 45. Belonging to Hirst's butterfly etching series, it depicts the insect in fine intaglio detail against a deep black ground, evoking a mounted specimen in a collector's cabinet.
Collector notes: The saved release record describes: Edition of 45. The saved release record describes: signed; numbered. Verify each feature against a documented example of this edition.
Why It Matters
The etched line gives Fate a precise, almost illustrative delicacy distinct from Hirst's screenprinted butterflies. Its title invokes destiny and inevitability, layering the butterfly's associations with death and the passage of life onto a small, meticulously rendered plate that rewards close looking.
Collector Perspective
An edition of 45 in the labour-intensive etching medium places Fate among Hirst's more limited and craft-driven prints. Its restrained scale and black background lend themselves to classic, gallery-style framing. Buyers should confirm the pencil signature and clean plate impression, and consider its role within the wider etching set.
Historical Context
One of Hirst's 2009 butterfly etchings published by Other Criteria, Fate participates in the artist's enduring use of the butterfly as a symbol spanning love, fortune, freedom, spirituality, and death. The etchings extend a motif embedded in Hirst's practice since his early career into a refined intaglio format.
Documented Release Details
- Object type
- Editioned print or object
- Release date
- 2009
- Release-date note
- Catalog-listed release year from the saved secondary record; primary release-page confirmation remains pending.
- Medium and materials
- Etching; catalog dimensions 47.3 x 39.3 cm.
- Edition details
- The saved release record describes: Edition of 45.
- Signature and marks
- The saved release record describes: signed; numbered. Verify each feature against a documented example of this edition.
Documented History and Meaning
History note: This page treats Damien Hirst's broader career as background context, not proof that this specific edition belongs to any single exhibition or event. Release-level facts here come from a saved secondary catalog record.
Meaning / interpretation: Read as documented context rather than stated intent: One of Hirst's 2009 butterfly etchings published by Other Criteria, Fate participates in the artist's enduring use of the butterfly as a symbol spanning love, fortune, freedom, spirituality, and death. This is an interpretive reading of the release context, not a statement of the artist's intent for this specific work. This interpretive note follows the cited artist or publisher context.
Release context: The saved catalog lists 2009 and attributes the edition to Other Criteria. The saved description also notes: Published by Other Criteria.
Authentication, Presentation and Provenance
- Original presentation
- Original packaging or presentation was not documented in the release sources reviewed.
- Authentication note
- Compare the support, dimensions, edition number, and signature against a documented example of this edition. Gauntlet Gallery does not authenticate works purchased from third parties.
- Provenance note
- Edition origin is attributed in the saved record to Other Criteria. That does not establish the ownership history of an individual copy: retain the original invoice, reseller or gallery paperwork, labels, correspondence, and condition photographs.
Sources and Verification
Verification status: Secondary catalog snapshot; artist-level context added
- Saved release record — Art Collectorz · secondary catalog snapshot · Accessed 2026-07-13 · Starting record for title, year, edition, dimensions, medium, and release description. Primary confirmation against the original release page remains pending.
- Damien Hirst — official site — Damien Hirst studio (Science Ltd.) · primary artist source · Accessed 2026-07-13 · Official artist site; career context, not an individual-edition record.
- Damien Hirst — Wikipedia · reference encyclopedia · Accessed 2026-07-13 · General artist-level biographical and career reference.
- Damien Hirst (Q294326) — Wikidata · reference knowledge base · Accessed 2026-07-13 · Structured identifier used for the artist across catalog metadata.
FAQ
What does the title Fate suggest?
Fate evokes destiny and inevitability, reinforcing the butterfly's associations with mortality and the course of life.
How was it made?
It is an etching, an intaglio technique that bites the image into a metal plate for fine detailed line work.
What is the edition size?
It is a signed and numbered edition of 45, published by Other Criteria.
Is it part of a series?
Yes, it belongs to Hirst's 2009 group of butterfly etchings.
