Gauntlet Gallery — Complete Damien Hirst Print Index
Maltohexaose
Work Summary & Collector Notes
Maltohexaose is a 2012 woodcut spot print from Manifold Editions in an edition of 55, printed on 410gsm Somerset White Paper. A six-inch four-spot composition at 18 x 18 inches, it is the twin in scale and format to Fenbufen and one of the last woodcut spots Manifold released during that retrospective year.
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 square four-spot grid makes Maltohexaose one of the more graphically assertive prints in the woodcut spot series. Translating Hirst's spots into hand-cut relief rather than screenprint gives the colour a different physicality. At 55 impressions, it is a modest, controlled edition compared with the artist's headline spot runs.
Collector Perspective
This print pairs directly with Fenbufen, and collectors assembling the series often seek both six-inch four-spots together. The front signature and verso numbering are standard for the series. Its appeal lies in the balance of pure colour and the tactile woodgrain of the medium; look for a clean, full-margin Somerset sheet and legible edition numbering.
Historical Context
The title references a pharmacological sugar compound, keeping Maltohexaose within Hirst's spot-as-pharmacy conceit that connects vivid abstraction to medicine's promise against decay. Manifold Editions' woodcut spot series was a defined project, and Maltohexaose, Fenbufen and Esculetin were framed as its concluding trio, giving it a clear place in the sequence.
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 size is Maltohexaose?
It is a six-inch four-spot woodcut measuring 18 x 18 inches on 410gsm Somerset White Paper.
How many were made?
Manifold Editions produced it in an edition of 55 in 2012.
Is it a companion to another print?
Yes. It shares its six-inch four-spot format and 18 x 18 inch scale with Fenbufen.
How is it authenticated as an edition?
Each print is signed on the front and numbered on the reverse.
