Gauntlet Gallery — Complete Damien Hirst Print Index
To Belong
Work Summary & Collector Notes
To Belong is a butterfly etching by Damien Hirst, dated 2008 with a 250 x 300 mm image on a 412 x 443 mm sheet, signed and stamped in an edition of 75. Its finely etched butterfly emerges from a black field, the title completing a 'To' phrase group with a note of connection and place.
Collector notes: The saved release record describes: Each etching is an edition of 75. The saved release record describes: signed. Verify each feature against a documented example of this edition.
Why It Matters
To Belong extends the meditative, phrase-based titling that distinguishes this group of butterfly etchings, its theme of belonging adding an emotional register to a motif Hirst has carried since his early career. The etched format gives the work an intimacy and craft that reward sustained attention.
Collector Perspective
The edition of 75, signed and stamped, keeps To Belong among the more attainable Hirst etchings without sacrificing series provenance. Its position in the 'To' phrase group makes it a natural component for collectors building the set, and its compact sheet suits considered, close-scale display.
Historical Context
Dated 2008, To Belong is one of Hirst's butterfly etchings, a group whose titles reference love, regeneration, freedom, spirituality and death. The butterfly's enduring symbolism, refined over centuries of art and literature, gives the title's theme of connection its resonance within Hirst's practice.
Documented Release Details
- Object type
- Editioned print or object
- Release date
- 2009
- Release-date note
- Catalog-listed release year from the saved secondary record; primary release-page confirmation remains pending.
- Medium and materials
- Etching; catalog dimensions 41.2 x 44.3 cm.
- Edition details
- The saved release record describes: Each etching is an edition of 75.
- Signature and marks
- The saved release record describes: signed. 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: Dated 2008, To Belong is one of Hirst's butterfly etchings, a group whose titles reference love, regeneration, freedom, spirituality and death. 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 2009 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 are the print's dimensions?
The image is 250 x 300 mm on a sheet of 412 x 443 mm.
How is it signed?
It is signed and stamped, from an edition of 75.
Is it part of a series?
Yes, it belongs to the 'To' phrase group within Hirst's butterfly etchings.
What year is it dated?
The etching is dated 2008.
