The Empresses - Taytu Betul

This is a stunning laminated giclée on aluminium composite panel screen printed with glitter. The work is hand signed and numbered by Damien Hirst on the label on the back. Taytu Betul is a limited edition of 2.814 copies, which includes 1.288 physical works and 1.526 NFT.

Damien Hirst series "Empresses" is an homage to 5 amazing women with a major relevance in history. Little known for western culture, their greatness is celebrated by Hirst.

Taitu Betul was an Ethiopian noblewoman, empress of the Ethiopian Empire (1889–1913) and the third wife of Emperor Menelik II of Ethiopia. In 1887, together with her husband Menelik II, then king of Shewa province, they founded the city of Addis Ababa, the current capital of Ethiopia. She is considered one of the references in the history of women in Africa, pioneers in the fight against colonialism.

After several marriages, Betul married in April 1883 the king of Choa Sahle Myriam, who needed support in the north of the country. Reinforced, Sahle Myriam became King of the Kings of Ethiopia in 1889 under the name of Menelik II and Taytu Betul became Empress and one of the most influential women of her time.

A good diplomat and passionate nationalist, Taytu Betul opposed Italian colonial strategies in her country. The Empress rejected any negotiations that could lead to the loss of Ethiopian territories. Taytu Betul was present in 1896 during the Battle of Adoua, where the Italians suffered a humiliating defeat, and organized the supply of troops on the ground.

Unappreciated by Menelik's rivals and by the people, she was pushed aside after her husband's death. Powerful or controversial, Empress Taytu rose to the occasion and helped lay the foundation for a modern Ethiopia that is today. As such, her legacy has become a significant part of the contemporary Ethiopian history.