The Damien Hirst piece "For the love of God" is a human skull recreated in platinum, diamond studded (with 8,601 diamonds) including a pink pear shaped diamond on the forehead. The teeth are the only thing left untouched. The skull is believed to be from a European who lived between 1720 and 1810. The piece was made by royal jewellers ( Bently and Skinner) with flawless pave-laid diamonds weighing 1,106.18 carats on a platinum cast covering the whole skull excluding the teeth.
2. What does the work mean? What is Damien Hirst communicating in the work?
Hirst said the piece was supposed to convey “the ultimate victory over death,” or the “maximum celebration you could make against death.” He wanted the piece to represent “wealth over death” nothing to do with immortality but more of the disdain of the wealthy on humanity.
3. How does Hirst's diamond encrusted skull relate to Mercantilism and to conspicuous consumption?
Mercantilism is wealth measured by how much gold, silver etc. one had during the Renaissance period, wealthy people during this time spent money on art to show off their wealth also because they didn’t have much else to spend their wealth on. Art for them was today’s latest technology e.g. ipad, flat screen TV etc. Hirst’s piece “for the love of God” is the most expensive piece of art to date. This boosted his status as well as his diamond encrusted skull, this is how the diamond skull relates to mercantilism. The investors that bought this piece were displaying conspicuous consumption.
4. How much did the work cost, and how much was it sold for, and who bought it?
It cost $20 million to make and $99 million to buy; it was purchased by a group of investors including the artist himself.
