Gauntlet Gallery
What is Cleon Peterson’s piece called “Trump 2017 (Gold)”
Summary
A screen print shaped as a classical Greek amphora rendered in Cleon Peterson's signature black-and-white figures against a flat gold ground. The vase's registered bands stack a row of robed authority figures presiding over an altar above tiers of men clubbing, wrestling, and executing one another, turning the imagery of antiquity into an indictment of contemporary power and the brutality it sanctions.
Why It Matters
The print is a centerpiece of Peterson's ongoing appropriation of Greek vase painting, the visual language he uses to argue that abuses of power and organized violence are as old as civilization itself. Released in 2017 with an explicitly political title, it channels Peterson's recurring themes - authority, mob violence, and moral collapse - into the form of a relic, framing a present-day regime as just one more empire on the long historical arc of conquest and cruelty. The gold ground heightens the sense of a venerated artifact, sharpening the irony of the savagery depicted within it.
Collector Perspective
A screen print from a tight edition of 36, hand-signed and numbered by the artist, making it one of the scarcer color variants in Peterson's vase-format output (these "End of Empire"-adjacent amphora prints typically appear in black, white, and metallic editions). The small run and overtly political subject give it strong appeal among collectors who follow Peterson's classical-appropriation work and his broader political prints. Condition, full margins, and intact signature/numbering are the key value drivers; the gold colorway tends to command a premium over the more common black or white versions.
Historical Context
Produced in 2017, at the start of a U.S. presidential term, the print sits within Peterson's sustained body of vase works that recast ancient Greek amphorae as vehicles for political and social critique. Peterson (b. 1973, Seattle) draws on black-figure pottery, Hogarth, and street art to expose the violence beneath civilization; this piece applies that framework directly to its political moment, using the gravitas of the antique vessel to comment on power and empire in the present day.
FAQ
What does this print depict?
A classical Greek amphora rendered in flat black-and-white figures on a gold ground. Its stacked bands show robed authority figures at an altar above tiers of men fighting, clubbing, and executing one another - a meditation on power, violence, and empire.
What is the edition size?
The edition is limited to 36 prints.
Is it signed and numbered?
Yes. Works in this edition are hand-signed and numbered by Cleon Peterson.
What is the medium?
It is a screen print, executed in Peterson's signature high-contrast black, white, and gold palette.
Who is Cleon Peterson?
Cleon Peterson (b. 1973, Seattle) is an American artist known for stark, high-contrast scenes of violence, power, and social conflict. He draws on Greek vase painting, Hogarth, and street art, and is a frequent Shepard Fairey collaborator.
Related Works
About the Artist
Cleon Peterson (b. 1973, Seattle) is an American artist known for stark, high-contrast scenes of violence, power and social conflict, rendered in a flat, limited palette of black, white, red and gold. His chaotic compositions of fighting, clubbing and writhing figures expose the abuse of power and the brutality beneath civilization’s surface, drawing on classical Greek vase painting, Hogarth and street art. A frequent collaborator with Shepard Fairey, he shows internationally; his prints, sculptures and editions are widely collected in the urban-contemporary market.
Collecting Cleon Peterson at Gauntlet Gallery
Where can I buy authentic Cleon Peterson prints?
Gauntlet Gallery offers an extensive, authenticated inventory of Cleon Peterson 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 Cleon Peterson prints?
Yes. New drops are released regularly across Cleon Peterson and other leading artists; see gauntlet.gallery for the latest inventory.