Gauntlet Gallery — Complete Damien Hirst Print Index
Ribonolactone (First Edition)
Work Summary & Collector Notes
Ribonolactone (First Edition) is a 2012 Manifold Editions woodcut with one-inch spots on a larger 17.5 x 11 inch sheet. The bigger format holds a denser field of small colour dots, allowing the systematic grid of Hirst's spot vocabulary to extend across a more expansive, wall-scaled surface.
Collector notes: First Edition; saved release record states an edition size 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
Ribonolactone's larger sheet with one-inch spots amplifies the repetition at the heart of the series: many small dots multiplying into an ordered field. Rendered as a woodcut, the extended grid gains texture and ink variation across the block, uniting the industrial idea of the spots with the hand character of relief printing.
Collector Perspective
Among the Manifold woodcuts, the 17.5 x 11 inch format gives Ribonolactone greater scale and presence than the small square sheets, which can enhance desirability. The edition of 55 keeps it scarce. Collectors should inspect the larger surface for consistent registration and ink coverage, verify signature and numbering, and retain provenance paperwork.
Historical Context
Named after a sugar-derived compound, Ribonolactone follows Hirst's convention of titling spots after chemical substances. As part of the 2012 Manifold woodcut series, it translates the artist's most recognisable motif into relief print at a scale that foregrounds the series' foundational logic of order and repetition.
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 17.5 x 11 inches; Woodcut print with 1-inch spots.
- Edition details
- First Edition; saved release record states an edition size 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 does this differ from the smaller woodcuts?
The 17.5 x 11 inch sheet is larger and carries a denser field of one-inch spots, giving greater wall presence.
What is the medium?
It is a woodcut published by Manifold Editions.
What is the edition size?
55 impressions.
What does Ribonolactone refer to?
It is a chemical compound; Hirst names spot works after such substances.
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