Gauntlet Gallery — Complete Damien Hirst Print Index
Myth (First Edition)
Work Summary & Collector Notes
Myth (First Edition) is documented in this catalog as a 2016 Sculpture. The saved release record lists dimensions of 42 x 40.5 x 15 cm. The saved record attributes the release to Other Criteria. The cataloged edition information is 20.
Collector notes: The saved release record describes: Edition of 20. Edition-specific signature, numbering, and stamp details were not stated in the saved release record. Verify signing and numbering against a documented example of this edition.
Why It Matters
'Myth' recreates in porcelain one of Hirst's bronze sculptures, exposing an anatomical cross-section that reveals the flesh and musculature beneath the creature's skin. The pairing of a mythical animal with clinical anatomy embodies Hirst's recurring dialogue between belief, science, and the physical body.
Collector Perspective
With an edition of only 20 and hand production by a historic porcelain house, 'Myth' is a genuinely scarce three-dimensional Hirst object. Collectors valuing craftsmanship and the crossover between fine art and decorative porcelain will find it distinct from his prints, and it forms a natural pair with its companion, 'Legend'.
Historical Context
Nymphenburg's centuries-old porcelain tradition lends 'Myth' a lineage far older than contemporary art, which Hirst subverts by fusing fairy-tale imagery with anatomical exposure. The work belongs to his broader project examining where science, religion, and belief intersect.
Documented Release Details
- Object type
- Editioned sculpture / object
- Release date
- 2016
- Release-date note
- Catalog-listed release year from the saved secondary record; primary release-page confirmation remains pending.
- Medium and materials
- Sculpture; catalog dimensions 42 x 40.5 x 15 cm.
- Edition details
- The saved release record describes: Edition of 20.
- Signature and marks
- Edition-specific signature, numbering, and stamp details were not stated in the saved release record. Verify signing and numbering 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 2016 and attributes the edition to 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 is 'Myth' made of?
It is porcelain, handcrafted by the Nymphenburg Porcelain Makers in Munich.
What does the sculpture depict?
A unicorn, shown with an anatomical cross-section revealing the flesh and musculature of a horse beneath the skin.
How is it marked and how scarce is it?
It bears the artist's signature, edition number, and Nymphenburg maker's mark on the base, in an edition of 20.
