Damien Hirst's Away from the Flock, Divided lamb artwork is to provide one of the many highlights in Christie's Post-War and Contemporary Art Evening Auction, which will be held on February 13 in London.
Featuring a sheep, divided in two and submerged in a glass tank of formaldehyde, the gruesome piece is expected to see bids in the region of £1.8m-2.5m ($2.8m-3.8m). It was last sold by Christie's in 2006, when it realised $3.3m.
 The work plays on Christian metaphors, focusing on the vulnerability of the lamb |
Should it sell at the top of its estimate the work will have displayed a 12.5% increase in value.
The current record for his work was set at a landmark Hirst auction at Sotheby's in 2008 by The Golden Calf, which sold for £10.3m ($16.2m). The sale itself was also a record-breaker, seeing a final realisation of £111m ($198m) - more than any other single artist auction.
Away from the Flock was executed in 1995, with its two parts each measuring 46 by 73 inches. In the Tate Modern catalogue for his 2012 exhibition, it is described as being "as totemic a symbol of his artistic identity as The Physical Impossibility of Death in the Mind of Someone Living" - Hirst's famous shark in a tank.
The work plays on the Christian metaphor of the shepherd and his flock, as well as highlighting the vulnerability of the lamb, especially in contrast to Hirst's earlier shark piece. It was acquired by the present owner from the White Cube gallery in London.
While Christie's offers the work at £2.5m, Paul Fraser Collectibles is currently selling two original pieces of Hirst's art for a fraction of the price - don't miss your chance to own an item that very few collectors ever will.
Also featuring in the sale will be David Hockney's only Egyptian painting, which is expected to lead at £3.5m ($5.6m).
Recent and related articles
· Basquiat's Burroughs triptych auctions on February 12 for $9.9m? | 23 January 2013
· David Hockney's pyramid painting to bring $5.6m? | 7 January 2013
· Top Five most valuable Damien Hirst artworks - works which have bite | 29 February 2012
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Images: Christie's
