Fate is one of twelve etchings in Damien Hirst’s Butterflies portfolio (2009), a series that includes Life, Tribulation, Eternal Rest, Prosperity, Emerge, Regeneration, Renewal, Fate, Reveal, Spirit, Hope, and Providence. Each features a single butterfly, perfectly composed against a deep black ground, its wings rendered with delicate luminosity through layered etching and aquatint.

For Hirst, the butterfly has long symbolised the tension between beauty and mortality — a visual metaphor for the fleeting nature of existence and the possibility of transcendence. In Fate, the title itself evokes inevitability and acceptance, themes that echo throughout the artist’s wider oeuvre. The work combines precision, spiritual resonance, and meditative stillness, representing one of Hirst’s most elegant and enduring motifs.

1. The YBA Legacy and Market Recognition

As the frontman of the Young British Artists (YBAs), Damien Hirst is not only Britain’s most famous living artist but also one of the few contemporary figures to have reshaped the global art market. His name has become synonymous with conceptual innovation, technical ambition, and market endurance. The YBA generation — once defined by rebellion — is now fully institutionalised, with Hirst leading that canonisation. Works from his core themes, such as Butterflies, Spots, and Skulls, are now seen as modern icons of British art history.

2. The Butterflies Portfolio: Symbolism and Scarcity

The butterfly has been central to Hirst’s practice for over three decades, embodying life, death, beauty, and transcendence — universal motifs that ensure ongoing collector appeal. Fate, one of the 12 etchings from the 2009 Butterflies portfolio, perfectly encapsulates these dualities. With an edition of just 45 (plus 5 artist’s proofs), scarcity plays a crucial role in sustaining value. Published by Other Criteria, Hirst’s own imprint, these works carry impeccable provenance and are highly sought after by both UK and international collectors.

3. Market Performance and Growth Trends

When first released, prints from the Butterflies suite sold for approximately £2,000–£3,000. In today’s market (2024–2025), individual works consistently achieve £7,000–£9,000, with complete portfolios commanding £70,000–£90,000 at auction and private sale. This represents steady, sustainable growth over more than a decade — averaging 6–8% annual appreciation. Despite fluctuations in the broader contemporary sector, Hirst’s butterfly works have maintained consistent liquidity and collector demand.

4. Long-Term Outlook

The Butterflies portfolio stands among Hirst’s most recognisable and philosophically resonant series. As the YBA movement continues to be reassessed by museums and scholars, demand for Hirst’s early and signature imagery is expected to strengthen. With its combination of emotional symbolism, technical finesse, and limited availability, Fate is positioned as a low-risk, high-recognition acquisition — a stable blue-chip investment within the contemporary print market.

Summary:

At £6,950, Fate represents a compelling opportunity to acquire a work that combines rarity, iconic subject matter, and enduring international demand. As the definitive figure of the YBA generation, Hirst’s prints occupy a permanent position in both art history and the modern market, offering excellent long-term stability and incremental appreciation potential.