Gauntlet Gallery — Complete Damien Hirst Print Index
Nifedipine
Work Summary & Collector Notes
Nifedipine is a 2012 woodcut spot from Manifold Editions in an edition of 55, with a compact sheet size of 6 x 6 inches. A two-inch spot rendered as a hand-cut woodcut, it is one of the smallest-format prints in Hirst's woodcut spot series and is titled after a pharmacological compound.
Collector notes: The saved release record describes: Edition of 55. 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
The intimate 6 x 6 inch square makes Nifedipine one of the most concentrated expressions of the spot idea, a single disc of colour presented with graphic economy. The woodcut medium lends physicality to what is often a flat motif, and the edition of 55 places it among the scarcer, hand-editioned works in Hirst's print catalogue.
Collector Perspective
Its small footprint makes Nifedipine one of the more accessible and easily displayed entries in the woodcut spot series, attractive to collectors building a group or seeking a single representative example. The pharmaceutical title ties it to the wider theme. Look for front signature, verso numbering, and a clean square sheet with intact corners.
Historical Context
Nifedipine is a real cardiovascular medication, and the choice of title continues Hirst's practice of naming spots after pharmacological drugs, reinforcing his meditation on medicine's fight against bodily decay. The woodcut series from Manifold Editions reframes the spot as a relief print, connecting Hirst's contemporary motif to a traditional printmaking lineage.
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 6 x 6 inches; 2-inch woodcut spot.
- Edition details
- The saved release record describes: Edition of 55.
- 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 2012 and attributes the edition to Manifold 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 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
How large is Nifedipine?
It is a two-inch woodcut spot on a small 6 x 6 inch square sheet.
What is the edition size?
Manifold Editions produced it in an edition of 55 in 2012.
Is the title a real drug?
Yes. Nifedipine is a genuine pharmacological compound, consistent with Hirst's practice of naming spots after medicines.
Why choose a woodcut for a spot?
The woodcut gives the spot a hand-cut, tactile relief surface distinct from Hirst's flat screenprinted spot editions.
