Published by

Other Criteria, London

Dimensions

47.3 × 39.3 cm (18⅝ × 15½ in.)

Condition

In very good condition.

Catalogue Note

Published in 2009, Fate forms part of Damien Hirst's celebrated Butterflies portfolio, a suite of twelve original etchings and aquatints exploring themes of life, mortality, faith and transformation. The portfolio comprises the titles Life, Tribulation, Eternal Rest, Prosperity, Emerge, Regeneration, Renewal, Fate, Reveal, Spirit, Hope and Providence, each presenting a single butterfly as a powerful symbolic image.

Butterflies have remained one of Hirst's most enduring and recognisable motifs throughout his career. Simultaneously representing beauty, fragility and the cycle of life, they embody many of the philosophical concerns that underpin his work. In Fate, the butterfly is isolated against a deep black background, allowing its luminous colours and intricate markings to become almost devotional in character. The dramatic contrast between light and darkness evokes both vulnerability and transcendence, reflecting the work's evocative title.

Unlike many of Hirst's later editioned works, the Butterflies portfolio consists of original intaglio prints, combining the rich tonal qualities of aquatint with the precision of etching. The resulting surface possesses exceptional depth and subtlety, qualities that distinguish the series as one of the artist's finest achievements in traditional printmaking.

Originally issued in an elegant black cloth-covered portfolio with embossed titles by Other Criteria, the suite was produced in a remarkably small edition of only forty-five impressions. Individual works from the portfolio are increasingly sought after for their technical excellence, symbolic resonance and their place within one of Hirst's most important graphic series.

Combining meticulous craftsmanship with one of Damien Hirst's defining artistic motifs, Fate is a compelling meditation on transformation, impermanence and the delicate balance between beauty and mortality.