Gauntlet Gallery — Complete Damien Hirst Print Index
Tribulation
Work Summary & Collector Notes
Tribulation (2009) is a signed and numbered etching from Damien Hirst's butterfly series, published by Other Criteria in an edition of 45. At 47.3 x 39.2 cm, its finely etched butterfly emerges from a black ground, the darker title steering the specimen toward Hirst's enduring themes of suffering and mortality.
Collector notes: The saved release record describes: Edition of 45. The saved release record describes: signed; numbered. Verify each feature against a documented example of this edition.
Why It Matters
Tribulation occupies the somber pole of Hirst's butterfly vocabulary, where beauty and death sit in tension. The title's biblical resonance deepens the memento mori reading that runs throughout his work. As an intaglio etching, it shows the artist channeling a weighty theme through a restrained, traditional printmaking discipline.
Collector Perspective
The edition of 45 keeps Tribulation among the scarcer butterfly etchings. Signed, numbered and published by Other Criteria, it carries dependable provenance. Its darker, more unusual title sets it apart within the series and appeals to collectors drawn to the mortality themes at the core of Hirst's practice.
Historical Context
Issued in 2009 by Other Criteria, Tribulation is one of a group of butterfly etchings whose titles range from love and regeneration to death. The butterfly's dual symbolism, celebrating life while marking its brevity, gives this darker title its charge within Hirst's memento mori tradition.
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 47.3 x 39.2 cm.
- Edition details
- The saved release record describes: Edition of 45.
- 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: Issued in 2009 by Other Criteria, Tribulation is one of a group of butterfly etchings whose titles range from love and regeneration to 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. The saved description also notes: Published by 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
How many impressions were made?
It was published in a signed and numbered edition of 45.
What is the medium and size?
It is an etching measuring 47.3 x 39.2 cm.
What does the title suggest?
Tribulation leans toward themes of suffering and mortality, the darker side of Hirst's butterfly symbolism.
Who published it?
Other Criteria, in 2009.
