Science Xmas Butterfly Print
Science Xmas Butterfly Print
Signed Print
Damien Hirst
£3,700-£5,500
$7,000-$10,500 Value Indicator
$6,500-$9,500 Value Indicator
¥35,000-¥50,000 Value Indicator
€4,450-€6,500 Value Indicator
$35,000-$50,000 Value Indicator
¥730,000-¥1,080,000 Value Indicator
$4,700-$7,000 Value Indicator
AAGR (5 years) This estimate blends recent public auction records with our own private sale data and network demand.
There aren't enough data points on this work for a comprehensive result. Please speak to a specialist by making an enquiry.
Medium: Foil Block
Edition size: 150
Year: 2010
Size: H 48cm x W 43cm
Signed: Yes
Format: Signed Print
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Auction Results
| Auction Date | Auction House | Artwork | Hammer Price | Return to Seller | Buyer Paid |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| November 2023 | Rosebery's Fine Art Auctioneers - United Kingdom | Science Xmas Butterfly Print - Signed Print | |||
| December 2022 | Forum Auctions London - United Kingdom | Science Xmas Butterfly Print - Signed Print | |||
| October 2022 | Chiswick Auctions - United Kingdom | Science Xmas Butterfly Print - Signed Print | |||
| September 2020 | Phillips London - United Kingdom | Science Xmas Butterfly Print - Signed Print | |||
| September 2019 | Phillips London - United Kingdom | Science Xmas Butterfly Print - Signed Print | |||
| January 2019 | Forum Auctions London - United Kingdom | Science Xmas Butterfly Print - Signed Print | |||
| September 2018 | Sotheby's London - United Kingdom | Science Xmas Butterfly Print - Signed Print |
Meaning & Analysis
Science Xmas Butterfly Print is a signed foil block print in colours, on Arches 88 paper dust produced by renowned contemporary artist, Damien Hirst. The print, made in 2010, shows a butterfly with its wings outstretched, rendered against a plain white backdrop. The butterfly’s body has been painted over in white, red and green paint, simplifying the intricate pattern that would have marked its wings. Dominating the centre of the print, the butterfly is accompanied by three spots, one grey, one red and one green.
The spots in Science Xmas Butterfly Print allude to Hirst’s famous Spot Paintings in which the artist arranges coloured spots in precise grid formations. Along with spots, the butterfly holds an important place in Hirst’s visual language. Hirst frequently incorporates the insect into his artworks, most notably in the Kaleidoscope series, an impressive body of prints that are composed of patterns of concentric circles made up of butterfly wings.
Explaining why he is so attracted to the butterfly, Hirst elaborates: “I love butterflies because when they are dead, they look alive.” For Hirst, butterflies embody the fragility of life as they retain an iridescent beauty, even in death, as evidenced in this print. The use of butterflies in his artworks is therefore a means for the artist to explore themes of life and death in his art.