Gauntlet Gallery
What is D*Face’s piece called “Love Her Hate Him (Hand Painted Multiple)”
Summary
A hand-painted multiple from D*Face's signature romance-comic vein: a 1950s-style embracing couple in Roy Lichtenstein-derived halftone-dot pop style, where the suited suitor's face is half-stripped to a grinning skull while the blonde woman in a glossy red dress gazes obliviously off-frame. It is a quintessential 'doomed comic-strip lovers' image in which D*Face turns mid-century romantic idealism into a memento mori about love, lust and death.
Why It Matters
The piece sits at the heart of D*Face's most recognizable theme — hijacking the saccharine visual language of vintage romance comics and advertising and corrupting it with mortality. By rendering the desirable male lead as a half-decayed skull while his partner remains blissfully unaware, he skewers the consumerist fantasy of perfect coupledom and the celebrity-style idolization of the unattainable lover. The work extends a lineage that runs from Lichtenstein's appropriation of comic panels into street art's blunter, more cynical register, and it showcases the satirical, pop-provocateur sensibility that made D*Face and his StolenSpace gallery central to the British urban-art movement.
Collector Perspective
As a hand-painted multiple rather than a straight edition print, each example carries unique hand-applied painting over a printed or transferred base, which makes individual works one-of-a-kind variants and generally more desirable and higher-value than D*Face's open or standard screen-print editions. The skull-faced romance couple is among his most sought-after and instantly legible motifs, which supports steady demand. Edition size here is not documented, so buyers should confirm the specific format and any hand-finishing directly with provenance; condition of the painted surface and a clear chain of ownership matter for a unique work like this. Market position is solid within the urban-art tier — recognizable image, established artist — without the blue-chip pricing of his largest canvases.
Historical Context
Made in 2013, during what is framed here as D*Face's Pop Provocation Era, the image draws directly on 1950s American romance-comic and advertising imagery — the chiseled suitor, the immaculate blonde, the glossy red cocktail dress — and processes it through Lichtenstein-style Ben-Day halftone dots. D*Face (Dean Stockton, b.1978, London) had by this point built a reputation defacing comic-book romance, advertising and celebrity imagery with skulls and his winged-eyed motifs, satirizing consumerism, power and fame. The subversion of mid-century romantic optimism with a decaying death's-head places the work squarely in his ongoing dialogue about love, mortality and the seductions of mass culture.
FAQ
What does this piece depict?
A 1950s romance-comic style couple: a suited man embracing a blonde woman in a red dress, rendered in pop halftone dots. The man's face is half-stripped to a grinning skull while the woman gazes away, a memento-mori twist on idealized vintage romance imagery.
What is the edition size?
The edition size for this hand-painted multiple is not documented. Because hand-painted multiples carry unique hand-applied finishing, examples typically vary individually; confirm the specific format and any numbering with the seller's provenance.
What medium is it?
It is a hand-painted multiple — a work combining a printed or transferred base with hand-applied painting, making each example a unique variant rather than an identical edition print.
Is it signed and numbered?
D*Face limited works are typically hand-signed and numbered by the artist. For a hand-painted multiple, confirm the presence and form of signature and any numbering directly, as formats vary.
Who is D*Face?
D*Face is British street artist Dean Stockton (b.1978, London), a pop-art provocateur who defaces comic-book romance, advertising and celebrity imagery with skulls and his winged-eyed 'D*Dog' motif, satirizing consumerism, power and fame. He co-founded the StolenSpace gallery.
Related Works
About the Artist
D*Face is the working name of Dean Stockton (b. 1978, London), a leading figure in British street art. He came up pasting stickers and posters across London in the early 2000s, then built a pop-fuelled visual language that defaces comic-book romance, advertising and celebrity iconography. Recurring motifs include his winged-eyed D*Dog, grinning skulls and doomed comic-strip lovers. His practice spans screenprints, hand-painted multiples, sculpture and large-scale murals worldwide, and he co-founded the StolenSpace gallery in London. His work satirises consumerism, power and our collective obsession with fame.
Collecting D*Face at Gauntlet Gallery
Where can I buy authentic D*Face prints?
Gauntlet Gallery offers an extensive, authenticated inventory of D*Face prints and contemporary editions, with new drops added regularly. Browse the current collection at gauntlet.gallery.
How does Gauntlet Gallery ensure authenticity?
Gauntlet Gallery is built on curation, authenticity and transparency — every work is vetted and its provenance, edition details and condition are disclosed up front.
Does Gauntlet Gallery add new D*Face prints?
Yes. New drops are released regularly across D*Face and other leading artists; see gauntlet.gallery for the latest inventory.