Gauntlet Gallery — Complete Damien Hirst Print Index
The Soul On Jacob's Ladder
Work Summary & Collector Notes
The Soul On Jacob's Ladder is a 2005 silkscreen on Somerset satin 410gsm, 100 x 66.7 cm, published by Paul Stolper Gallery in a signed and numbered edition of 155. Drawing on Hirst's butterfly and spiritual imagery, its title invokes the biblical ladder between earth and heaven, a fitting frame for the artist's recurring meditations on the soul.
Collector notes: The saved release record describes: Edition of 155. The saved release record describes: signed; numbered. Verify each feature against a documented example of this edition.
Why It Matters
The print connects Hirst's butterfly motif, a symbol of the fragile, beautiful and transient, to overt religious iconography. Issued through Paul Stolper in an edition of 155 on heavyweight Somerset paper, it represents the more lyrical, contemplative strand of his editioned work.
Collector Perspective
Signed and numbered, the edition of 155 is moderate in size. The heavyweight Somerset satin support is prized for its surface and durability. Collectors should verify the pencil signature and numbering and inspect the sheet for the clean margins typical of Stolper-published editions.
Historical Context
By 2005 Hirst's butterflies had become a signature emblem of beauty and mortality. Naming the work after Jacob's ladder, the biblical vision of ascent between worlds, ties the transient insect to ideas of the soul and afterlife that recur across his practice.
Documented Release Details
- Object type
- Editioned screenprint
- Release date
- 2005
- Release-date note
- Catalog-listed release year from the saved secondary record; primary release-page confirmation remains pending.
- Medium and materials
- Screen Print; catalog dimensions 100 x 66.7 cm; Silkscreen on Somerset satin 410gsm.
- Edition details
- The saved release record describes: Edition of 155.
- 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: Read as documented context rather than stated intent: By 2005 Hirst's butterflies had become a signature emblem of beauty and mortality. This is an interpretive reading of the release context, not a statement of the artist's intent for this specific work. This interpretive note follows the cited artist or publisher context.
Release context: The saved catalog lists 2005 and attributes the edition to Paul Stolper Gallery.
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 Paul Stolper Gallery. 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 paper is it printed on?
Somerset satin 410gsm, a heavyweight fine-art paper.
What is the edition size?
It is a signed and numbered edition of 155, published in 2005.
Who published the print?
Paul Stolper Gallery, London.
What does the title reference?
Jacob's Ladder, the biblical vision of a ladder between earth and heaven.
