THE DIAMOND ENCRUSTED SKULL, FOR THE LOVE OF GOD, BY BRITISH ARTIST DAMIEN HIRST, WHICH GAINED ICONIC STATUS FOLLOWING ITS FIRST EXHIBITION IN 2007, IS ON DISPLAY AT PALAZZO VECCIO IN FLORENCE FROM 26.NOVEMBER TO 1.MAY.2011. FOR THE LOVE OF GOD IS A LIFE-SIZE CAST OF A HUMAN SKULL IN PLATINUM, ENTIRELY COVERED BY 8,601 VVS TO FLAWLESS PAVE-SET DIAMONDS, WEIGHING A TOTAL OF 1,106.18 CARATS. SET INTO THE FOREHEAD IS A LARGE PEAR SHAPED PINK DIAMOND, KNOWN AS THE SKULL STAR DIAMOND. THE TEETH ARE THOSE OF THE ORIGINAL SKULL, WHICH WAS PURCHASED BY HIRST IN LONDON, AND DATES BACK TO THE 18th CENTURY. THE WORK STANDS IN THE GREAT TRADITION OF THE 'MEMENTO MORI', WHERE AN IMAGE OR OBJECT SERVES TO REMIND US OF OUR MORTALITY. DUTCH ART HISTORIAN RUDI FUCHS, WRITING ABOUT THE WORK IN 2007, OBSERVED: 'THE SKULL IS 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.' PRIOR TO THE EXHIBITION IN FLORENCE, FOR THE LOVE OF GOD HAS ONLY BEEN SHOWN TWICE. FOLLOWING ITS INAUGURAL EXHIBITION AT WHITE CUBE IN LONDON, FOR THE LOVE OF GOD WAS EXHIBITED AT THE RIJKSMUSUEM IN AMSTERDAM, WHERE IT ATTRACTED OVER 250,000 VISITORS.
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