In 'Nūr Jahān', Damien Hirst creates an architectural composition that mirrors the influential Mughal empress's artistic legacy. The artwork's sophisticated arrangement features butterfly wings in bold reds and blacks, meticulously organised in a symmetrical pattern that radiates from a central focal point. This structural precision evokes the intricate mosaic designs of Mughal architecture, particularly referencing the empress's contributions to the tomb in Agra that later inspired the Taj Mahal. Hirst's interplay of scale and perspective creates an illusion of depth, with surrounding wing patterns appearing to recede while drawing attention to the enshrined central pair.

The piece achieves a remarkable balance between rigid geometric order and organic vitality, enhanced by an alternating frame of black and red wings that suggests perpetual motion. This dynamic tension reflects the formal qualities of Islamic architectural decoration and the multifaceted nature of Nūr Jahān herself, who wielded unprecedented power as a ruler, architect, and diplomat.

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Damien Hirst's striking Empresses series is constructed of beautiful images of red butterfly wings intricately arranged with a filigree of red glitter to produce visually intoxicating kaleidoscope-like effects. The prints are named after five exceptionally influential female rulers: Wu Zetian, Nur Jahan, Theodora, Suiko and Taytu Betul. Their characters and stories are enhanced by the dominant red tone of the series, which deals with themes such as life, war, power, anger, love, joy and luck.

Since the beginning of his career, Hirst has interacted with the butterfly, one of his best-known motifs. Inspired by a chance encounter in his studio and the intricate patterns found on Victorian tea trays, The Empresses Hirst develops on the complex compositions he invented in his Kaleidoscope Paintings and Mandalas series.

The Empresses prints are symmetrical, asymmetrical, and spiral patterns of meticulously organised butterflies that nonetheless exude hope and life – the butterflies feel as if they are taking flight. This effect is in part aided by the material, laminated Giclée print on aluminium composite, screen printed with glitter, which allows the butterfly wings to be presented in such detail that they appear lifelike. The images of wings inspire awe and are framed by glitter, a fantastically tactile material previously used by Hirst in his paintings. Glitter is loved for its playfulness and joy – a sentiment echoed in the play-on-words of the series title itself, which alludes to female rulers and the Empress Butterfly. Hirst has consistently used butterflies for their associations with freedom, religion, life and death. The Empresses illuminates and sheds light on these themes.

Through this series, these themes become intertwined with glory, female power and the development of nations, visible through the entrancing twists and turns of these five dazzling and vital visual celebrations.