Gauntlet Gallery — Complete Damien Hirst Print Index
Fenbufen
Work Summary & Collector Notes
Fenbufen is a 2012 woodcut spot print by Manifold Editions in an edition of 55, printed on 410gsm Somerset White Paper. A six-inch four-spot composition measuring 18 x 18 inches, it is one of the final woodcut spots Manifold released that retrospective year, paired in scale and format with Maltohexaose.
Collector notes: First Edition; saved release record states an edition size of 55. The saved release record describes: signed; numbered. Verify each feature against a documented example of this edition.
Why It Matters
The larger six-inch, four-spot format gives Fenbufen a bolder grid presence than the two-inch single-spot prints in the same series. Rendered as a woodcut rather than screenprint, it foregrounds the physical relief of the medium. With only 55 impressions, it is a contained edition within Hirst's broader spot production.
Collector Perspective
Collectors drawn to the spots' pure colour will appreciate the four-spot arrangement, which reads as a compact essay in chromatic relationships. Signed on the front and numbered on the reverse, the edition of 55 places it among the scarcer spot editions. Its square 18 x 18 inch format pairs naturally with Maltohexaose for those assembling a matched set.
Historical Context
Like all Hirst spots, the title references a pharmacological compound, tying the vibrant colour field to his enduring theme of medicine and mortality. Manifold Editions produced these woodcuts as part of a deliberate series, with Fenbufen and Maltohexaose named as the two six-inch four-spots that closed out the run alongside the smaller Esculetin.
Documented Release Details
- Object type
- Editioned print or object
- Release date
- 2012
- Release-date note
- Catalog-listed release year from the saved secondary record; primary release-page confirmation remains pending.
- Medium and materials
- Woodcut; catalog dimensions 18 x 18 inches; Manifold Editions has released a number of new editions of Hirst's woodcut spot prints over this retrospective year and now offers the last three in the series, consisting of a 2-inch landscape Esculetin, sister to the very popular Benzyloxyuea, and two 6-inch four spots Fenbufen and Maltohexaose; At one level the spots are vibrant essays in pure colour, at another they also reference families of pharmacological drugs, an aspect of Hirst's well-documented obsession with medicine's attempts to control and arrest bodily decay; A 6-inch spot woodcut, printed on 410gsm Somerset White Paper, published by The Paragon Press in 2012. Sheet size 45 ¾ x 45 ¾ cm.
- Edition details
- First Edition; saved release record states an edition size of 55.
- 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: No per-work artist statement is recorded for this edition. Any thematic reading should be treated as interpretation of the imagery, not a documented statement of the artist's intent. This interpretive note follows the cited artist or publisher context.
Release context: The saved catalog lists 2012 and attributes the edition to Manifold Editions. The saved description also notes: Manifold Editions has released a number of new editions of Hirst's woodcut spot prints over this retrospective year and now offers the last three in the series, consisting of a 2-inch landscape Esculetin, sister to the very popular Benzyloxyuea, and two 6-inch four spots Fenbufen and Maltohexaose.
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 Manifold Editions. 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 format is Fenbufen?
It is a six-inch four-spot woodcut measuring 18 x 18 inches on 410gsm Somerset White Paper.
What is the edition size?
It was published by Manifold Editions in an edition of 55 in 2012.
How does it differ from Esculetin?
Fenbufen is a larger six-inch four-spot composition, whereas Esculetin is a smaller two-inch single-spot landscape print.
Where is it signed?
Each print is signed on the front and numbered on the reverse.
