Providence
Providence
Signed Print
Damien Hirst
£4,050-£6,000
$8,500-$12,500 Value Indicator
$7,500-$11,000 Value Indicator
¥40,000-¥60,000 Value Indicator
€4,650-€7,000 Value Indicator
$45,000-$60,000 Value Indicator
¥810,000-¥1,190,000 Value Indicator
$5,500-$8,000 Value Indicator
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31 x 25cm, Edition of 45, Etching
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Meaning & Analysis
Providence is a signed etching produced by renowned contemporary artist, Damien Hirst. The print, made in 2009, shows a large blue butterfly which is rendered against a plain black backdrop. The close-up image of the butterfly is striking and captures the natural beauty of the insect. The shimmering blue of the butterfly’s wings contrasts with the dark backdrop, and the plain background encourages the viewer to appreciate the minuscule details that mark the butterfly’s wings.
The butterfly has become an iconic part of Hirst’s visual language. Along with skulls and diamonds, butterflies are often incorporated into Hirst’s artworks and used to explore themes of life, death and religion. Other artworks made by Hirst which use butterflies are the H7 series, the Psalms series and the Souls series. The Kaleidoscope series is Hirst’s most well-known example of using butterflies in his art. Inspired by the beautiful pattern on an old Victorian tea tray, Hirst was fascinated by the way the insect could be used to create intricate patterns.
Hirst has been interested in butterflies for a long time and began using them in his work as early as 1989. The artist calls the insect a “universal trigger,” elaborating that “everyone’s frightened of glass, everyone’s frightened of sharks, everyone loves butterflies.”