Gauntlet Gallery — Complete Damien Hirst Print Index
H10-1 Wu Zetian (The Empresses) (Timed Edition)
Work Summary & Collector Notes
H10-1 Wu Zetian is part of Damien Hirst's 2022 Empresses series, a HENI timed edition. It is a laminated Giclee print on aluminium composite, screen-printed with glitter, measuring 100 x 100 cm and signed and numbered on the label. As a timed edition, its run size was set by demand within a fixed window rather than a pre-announced cap.
Collector notes: Legacy catalog label: Timed Edition; total quantity was not documented in the saved record. The saved release record describes: signed; numbered. Verify each feature against a documented example of this edition.
Why It Matters
The Empresses series adapts Hirst's kaleidoscopic butterfly compositions, naming each work for a powerful female historical ruler. Wu Zetian, China's only female emperor, lends her name to this square, glitter-screened print. The added glitter layer gives the surface a shifting, jewel-like brilliance that intensifies the symmetrical, stained-glass character of Hirst's kaleidoscope imagery.
Collector Perspective
The glitter screen-printing and square 100 x 100 cm format make H10-1 an especially decorative, light-catching work. Signature and numbering appear on the label, and as a timed edition its final population reflects launch-window demand. Named for the first Empress in the series, Wu Zetian appeals to collectors of Hirst's butterfly kaleidoscopes and to those drawn to its historical titling.
Historical Context
Hirst's butterfly and kaleidoscope works, begun in the 2000s, arrange real and rendered butterfly wings into radiant symmetrical patterns evoking cathedral windows. The 2022 Empresses editions bring that visual language to HENI's timed-edition model, adding glitter screen-printing and pairing each composition with the name of a formidable female ruler such as Wu Zetian.
Documented Release Details
- Object type
- Editioned print
- Release date
- 2022
- Release-date note
- Catalog-listed release year from the saved secondary record; primary release-page confirmation remains pending.
- Medium and materials
- Giclee Print; catalog dimensions 100 x 100 cm; Materials: Laminated Giclée print on aluminium composite, screen printed with glitter.
- Edition details
- Legacy catalog label: Timed Edition; total quantity was not documented in the saved record.
- 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 2022 and attributes the edition to HENI Editions.
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 HENI 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 makes H10-1 Wu Zetian distinctive?
It is a laminated Giclee on aluminium composite that is additionally screen-printed with glitter for a shifting, luminous surface.
Where is it signed?
It is signed and numbered on the label.
Is it a fixed-size edition?
No. It is a timed edition, so the run was determined by demand during a fixed sales window.
What are its dimensions?
The print measures 100 x 100 cm.
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