Unique proof, signed and annotated ‘U.P.’ in pencil; one of 102 unique colour variants.

Created in 2007, The Souls on Jacob’s Ladder Take Their Flight (Unique) belongs to Damien Hirst’s celebrated series of butterfly works, exploring themes of beauty, life, death and transformation.

The work depicts a single butterfly, its wings spread against a deep black background. In this particular impression, the butterfly is rendered in vivid shades of crimson and scarlet, with subtle variations in tone revealing the intricate details of its wings. The simplicity of the composition, together with its impressive scale, gives the work a particularly striking presence.

Although described as a print, this is not a reproduction of an existing painting. It is an original work created through a specialist printmaking process, using finely worked copper plates to transfer layers of colour onto paper. The series includes 102 unique proofs, each with its own colour arrangement. This particular red butterfly is therefore distinct from every other impression.

Butterflies have been a recurring subject in Hirst’s work since his 1991 exhibition In and Out of Love. Their remarkable beauty and short lives have long interested the artist, who uses them to explore the relationship between life and death. The title refers to the biblical story of Jacob’s Ladder, in which angels travel between earth and heaven, connecting the butterfly with ideas of the soul, transformation and renewal.

Signed by the artist and distinguished by its rich red colouring, this unique proof is a particularly appealing interpretation of one of Hirst’s most recognisable subjects.