| For the Love of God | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Artist | Damien Hirst |
| Year | 2007 |
| Type | Platinum, diamond, human teeth |
| Location | White Cube Gallery, London, England |
For the Love of God is a sculpture by artist Damien Hirst produced in 2007. It consists of a platinum cast of an 18th-century human skull encrusted with 8,601 flawless diamonds, including a pear-shaped pink diamond located in the forehead that is known as the Skull Star Diamond.[1] The skull's teeth are original, and were purchased by Hirst in London. The artwork is a memento mori, or reminder of the mortality of the viewer.
In 2007, art historian Rudi Fuchs described the work as "out of this world, celestial almost. It proclaims victory over decay. At the same time it represents death as something infinitely more relentless. Compared to the tearful sadness of a vanitas scene, the diamond skull is glory itself."[2] Costing £12 million to produce, the work was placed on its inaugural display at the White Cube gallery in London in an exhibition Beyond Belief, with an asking price of £50 million. This would have been the highest price ever paid for a single work by a living artist.[3] In January 2022, Hirst stated that he still co-owned the sculpture, and that it was in storage in London.
- ^ "Gold, Golden, Gilded, Glittering". The Believer. 1 November 2012. Retrieved 9 June 2019.
- ^ Sterling, Bruce. (17 January 2011.) "For the Love of God, it's Damien Hirst". Wired. Retrieved 7 November 2021.
- ^ "Hirst unveils £50m diamond skull". BBC News. 1 June 2007. Retrieved 1 October 2014.