Gauntlet Gallery — Complete Damien Hirst Print Index
Quinizarin
Work Summary & Collector Notes
Quinizarin is a 2012 woodcut from Damien Hirst's spot vocabulary, published by Manifold Editions in an edition of 55. On an 8 x 20 inch sheet, a single eight-inch spot dominates the horizontal format, translating Hirst's signature colour dot into the grain and relief of a hand-cut woodblock rather than the flat mechanical finish of screenprint.
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 Manifold woodcut series matters because it reverses Hirst's own logic. The spots were conceived as impersonal and machine-perfect, yet the woodcut medium reintroduces texture, ink bite and the trace of the block. Named for the chemical compound Quinizarin, it extends the pharmaceutical-naming conceit into one of the most tactile print processes in his catalogue.
Collector Perspective
At an edition of 55, Quinizarin sits in the accessible tier of Hirst's editioned output while offering the material distinction of woodcut. The wide 8 x 20 inch sheet and single oversized spot give it strong wall presence. Collectors should confirm signature and numbering placement and retain the Manifold Editions documentation that anchors provenance.
Historical Context
Hirst launched his spot paintings in the late 1980s, naming each after pharmaceutical and chemical substances drawn from scientific supply catalogues. The 2012 Manifold woodcuts arrived alongside a period of intense output around his spot work, including the simultaneous global gallery presentation, situating these hand-cut prints within a mature restatement of the series.
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 8 x 20 inches; 8-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
What is the edition size of Quinizarin?
It was published in an edition of 55 by Manifold Editions.
What printmaking process was used?
It is a woodcut, in which the image is cut into a wooden block, inked and pressed, giving the spot a tactile relief quality unlike Hirst's flat screenprints.
What does the title refer to?
Quinizarin is a chemical compound; Hirst titles his spot works after pharmaceutical and chemical substances, a naming convention running through the series.
How large is the print?
The sheet measures 8 x 20 inches and carries a single eight-inch spot in a horizontal composition.
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