Gauntlet Gallery — Complete Damien Hirst Print Index
H10-5 Taytu Betul (The Empresses) (Timed Edition)
Work Summary & Collector Notes
H10-5 Taytu Betul closes Damien Hirst's The Empresses series for HENI Editions, 2022. This 100 x 100 cm laminated giclée on aluminium composite is screen printed with glitter, casting Hirst's kaleidoscopic symmetry into a luminous square field. Named for the Ethiopian empress, it is signed and numbered on the label.
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
Taytu Betul completes a five-part meditation on women who held power across different civilizations, mapped onto Hirst's butterfly-wing symmetry. The glitter finish and aluminium panel give the print an object-like presence, distinguishing the 2022 editions from Hirst's earlier paper butterflies and reinforcing the series' theme of enduring authority.
Collector Perspective
As a timed edition, the run reflects demand within its window rather than a fixed cap, so scarcity is relative across the set. Collectors are drawn to the square format, the reflective surface, and the completeness appeal of owning the full five-title series. Glitter and lamination condition remain the decisive inspection criteria.
Historical Context
Taytu Betul was the Ethiopian empress and co-founder of Addis Ababa who helped resist Italian colonial expansion around the turn of the 20th century. Hirst's kaleidoscope works derive from his butterfly paintings and their debt to Victorian display cases and stained glass. The empress framing casts the mirrored geometry as a symbol of sovereignty and resistance.
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 is H10-5 Taytu Betul?
It is a 2022 HENI Editions kaleidoscope print by Damien Hirst, part of The Empresses series, named for the Ethiopian empress.
What are its material specs?
Laminated giclée on aluminium composite, screen printed with glitter, 100 x 100 cm.
Is it hand signed?
Yes, each impression is signed and numbered on the label.
Why collect the full Empresses set?
Owning all five named titles completes the series' narrative of women rulers rendered in Hirst's kaleidoscopic symmetry.
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