Gauntlet Gallery — Complete Damien Hirst Print Index
To Lure
Work Summary & Collector Notes
"To Lure" is a 2008 etching from Damien Hirst's butterfly series, issued by Other Criteria in a signed and stamped edition of 75. Its 250 x 300 mm image on a 412 x 443 mm sheet isolates a single butterfly in fine intaglio detail against black, evoking a mounted specimen in a naturalist's collection.
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
Within the series, "To Lure" leans on the butterfly's associations with attraction and enticement, extending the emotional vocabulary Hirst assigns across the group's titles. The etching process gives the wings a crisp, hand-drawn precision that distinguishes these plates from the bold flat color of his screenprinted butterfly and kaleidoscope works.
Collector Perspective
With only 75 impressions, availability is limited. The appeal is a Hirst motif rendered in a traditional, collectible print medium at an approachable scale. Collectors should confirm signature, edition stamp and Other Criteria provenance. As one of several titled variations, it works well acquired as part of a curated grouping within the series.
Historical Context
The butterfly's symbolic weight, spanning love, regeneration, freedom, spirituality and death, has made it a recurring subject across centuries of art and literature. Hirst has drawn on this iconography since his early career, and this etching group represents its continuation into fine intaglio prints published by his Other Criteria imprint.
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: The butterfly's symbolic weight, spanning love, regeneration, freedom, spirituality and death, has made it a recurring subject across centuries of art and literature. 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 is "To Lure"?
A 2008 butterfly etching by Damien Hirst, edition of 75, published by Other Criteria.
How is it different from Hirst's screenprints?
It is an intaglio etching, emphasizing fine line and tonal detail rather than the flat color of his silkscreens.
What are the dimensions?
250 x 300 mm image on a 412 x 443 mm sheet.
How is it authenticated?
Each impression is signed and stamped by the artist.
