Victory Over Death
Victory Over Death
Signed Print
Damien Hirst
£5,500-£8,500
$11,500-$17,000 Value Indicator
$10,000-$16,000 Value Indicator
¥50,000-¥80,000 Value Indicator
€6,500-€10,000 Value Indicator
$60,000-$90,000 Value Indicator
¥1,050,000-¥1,620,000 Value Indicator
$7,000-$11,000 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: Etching
Edition size: 58
Year: 2008
Size: H 176cm x W 119cm
Signed: Yes
Format: Signed Print
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Auction Results
| Auction Date | Auction House | Location | Hammer Price | Return to Seller | Buyer Paid |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| December 2023 | AAG: Arts & Antiques Group | Netherlands | |||
| September 2023 | Christie's London | United Kingdom | |||
| September 2022 | Christie's London | United Kingdom | |||
| January 2022 | Lyon & Turnbull Edinburgh | United Kingdom | |||
| November 2021 | Tate Ward Auctions | United Kingdom | |||
| July 2020 | Bonhams Hong Kong | Hong Kong | |||
| December 2019 | Ketterer Kunst Hamburg | Germany |
Meaning & Analysis
Victory Over Death is a signed photogravure etching produced by renowned contemporary artist, Damien Hirst. Made in 2008, the work shows a diamond encrusted skull set against a black backdrop. The dazzling skull is placed in the centre of the composition and appears to float without a body. The skull stares out at the viewer, acting as a memento mori, a visual reminder of the inevitability of death.
Death is a theme that Hirst often explores through his art, exemplified by his frequent use of skulls, his interest in medicine, as well as his incorporation of dead animals and insects into his artworks. In Victory Over Death, Hirst rejects the traditional association of the skull with death and decay by decorating the skull with spectacular diamonds. The work therefore has a playful message, encouraging the viewer not to fear death, but to accept the beauty of its inevitability. Other series by Hirst which use skulls as their source of artistic inspiration are The Dead series (2009) and I Once Was What You Are, You Will Be What I Am (2007).
The work is based on Hirst’s sensational piece, For the Love of God, made in 2007. In this artwork, Hirst studded a human skull with 8,601 diamonds, making it one of the most expensive contemporary artworks in the world.