To Begin
To Begin
Signed Print
Damien Hirst
£1,400-£2,100Value Indicator
$2,950-$4,400 Value Indicator
$2,600-$3,900 Value Indicator
¥13,500-¥20,000 Value Indicator
€1,650-€2,500 Value Indicator
$14,500-$22,000 Value Indicator
¥270,000-¥410,000 Value Indicator
$1,900-$2,800 Value Indicator
AAGR (5 years) This estimate blends recent public auction records with our own private sale data and network demand.
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Medium: Etching
Edition size: 75
Year: 2008
Size: H 41cm x W 44cm
Signed: Yes
Format: Signed Print
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Auction Results
| Auction Date | Auction House | Location | Hammer Price | Return to Seller | Buyer Paid |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| March 2025 | Phillips Hong Kong | Hong Kong | |||
| November 2019 | Swann Galleries | United States |
Meaning & Analysis
To Begin is a signed etching in colours produced by renowned contemporary artist, Damien Hirst. The print, made in 2008, shows a magnificent blue butterfly with a white pattern on its wings. The butterfly is depicted from a close-up angle, enabling the viewer to see all the details of the insect’s body. The print captures the natural beauty of the butterfly, an insect which has long interested Hirst. The butterfly is set against a black backdrop, meaning the blue and white of its wings stands out dramatically, capturing the viewer’s attention.
Butterflies have become one of Hirst’s best-known motifs and the insects are often incorporated into the artist’s work. Other examples of works that use butterflies as their inspiration are the H7 series and the Kaleidoscope series, an impressive body of prints that are composed of patterns of concentric circles made up of butterfly wings.
Hirst was drawn to the butterfly due to the significant spiritual symbolism the insect carries. For the Greeks, the butterfly was used to depict the Psyche and the soul. In Christian imagery, butterflies have been used to signify the resurrection. Hirst is fascinated by contemporary belief systems, such as religion, and his use of the butterfly reflects how he uses his art to explore such systems of belief.
Damien Hirst, born in Bristol in 1965, is often hailed the enfant terrible of the contemporary art world. His provocative works challenge conventions and his conceptual brilliance spans installations, paintings, and sculptures, often exploring themes of mortality and the human experience. As a leading figure of the Young British Artists (YBA) movement in the late '80s, Hirst's work has dominated the British art scene for decades and has become renowned for being laced with controversy, thus shaping the dialogue of modern art.
