Damien Hirst - Sanctum (2009)

Sanctum (2009)

• Artists: Damien Hirst (British, born 1965)
• Medium: Unique photogravure etching in colours on Vélin Arches paper, with full margins
• Dimensions (framed): 122.7 × 119.2 cm
  
• Signature: Signed "Damien Hirst" lower right
• Publisher: The Paragon Press, London

Sanctum (2009) occupies one of the most singular positions in Damien Hirst's extensive print catalogue — a work that is simultaneously an edition and a collection of unique objects. Published by The Paragon Press, London, in an edition of 100 unique variants, each impression of Sanctum is a photogravure etching in colours produced from butterfly wing imagery, but with chromatic and tonal variations introduced during the printing process that ensure no two impressions are identical. This example — annotated "U.P." (unique proof) lower left — sits outside the main edition as a further singular object, signed by the artist lower right.

The composition is among the most formally accomplished of Hirst's butterfly works: a mandala of extraordinary complexity and symmetry, concentric rings of wing fragments radiating outward from a single yellow butterfly at the centre, the whole set against an absolute black ground that gives the colours — cobalt blue, crimson, teal, orange, white — a luminosity bordering on the sacred. The reference to the rose window of a Gothic cathedral is unmistakable and deliberate: Hirst has spoken extensively about the relationship between his butterfly works and the light-saturated windows of medieval churches, both using fragmentation and symmetry to produce an experience of transcendence.

Printed on Vélin Arches — one of the finest papers available for intaglio printing, prized for its weight, surface quality, and archival stability — at a monumental 99.6 × 99.6 cm, this is a work of genuine physical presence. The Paragon Press, which has published Hirst's most important print editions over three decades, brings a level of technical and curatorial rigour to the production that sets these works apart from the broader market for Hirst multiples. Hirst's work is held in the collections of Tate, MoMA, the Guggenheim, and the Broad, and his prints at this scale and designation achieve significant results at the major auction houses.

Shipping & Delivery: 

✔ Worldwide shipping from France

✔ Professional packaging with insurance

✔ Tracking number included for secure delivery

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FAQ

Is this an original Damien Hirst print? Yes — an original photogravure etching in colours on Vélin Arches paper, signed by the artist and annotated "U.P." (unique proof), published by The Paragon Press, London.

What does "U.P." mean? "U.P." designates a unique proof — an impression produced outside the main edition, distinct from the 100 unique variants and further singular in its status.

What makes each impression unique? The 100 works in the edition are unique variants — chromatic and tonal variations introduced during the photogravure printing process ensure that no two impressions are identical. This U.P. is an additional unique impression beyond those 100.

Who is The Paragon Press? The Paragon Press, London, is one of Britain's most prestigious print publishers, with a thirty-year history of collaborating with leading contemporary artists including Hirst, Peter Doig, Chris Ofili, and Glenn Brown.

What is Vélin Arches paper? A premium heavyweight paper produced by the Arches mill in France — one of the finest supports available for intaglio printing, prized for its surface quality, weight, and archival stability.

Is the work framed? Yes — framed, 122.7 × 119.2 cm overall. Specialist handling recommended.

Do you ship internationally? Yes — worldwide, with specialist packaging suited to large-format framed works, full insurance, and shipment tracking. Please contact us to discuss logistics given the scale of this work.