Gauntlet Gallery
What is Cleon Peterson’s piece called “Virgins (Gold)”
Summary
Virgins (Gold) renders a frieze of nude figures in flat metallic gold against a churning black-and-white ground: standing women, reclining bodies, and two hunched male aggressors who grasp and pin prone figures at the lower corners. It distills Cleon Peterson's signature themes of domination, vulnerability and predation into the visual language of a classical relief, the gold palette deliberately invoking antique vase painting and gilded idol imagery.
Why It Matters
This print is one of Peterson's clearest fusions of his contemporary subject matter with classical antiquity, the format and figure groupings echoing Greek vase friezes and temple reliefs while the content reads as raw assault and exploitation. The all-gold figure treatment elevates the bodies to the status of worshipped objects even as the scene depicts their violation, sharpening the artist's recurring critique of how power consumes the vulnerable. As a small-edition gold variant, it sits among the most collectible and visually striking entries in Peterson's mid-2010s screen-print output.
Collector Perspective
Virgins (Gold) is a 2017 screen print in a tight edition of 28, the smaller and more desirable variant relative to standard-color editions of the same composition. Peterson editions are conventionally signed and numbered by the artist; collectors should confirm the pencil signature and numbering on the example in hand. The compact edition size and the gold treatment place it at the higher end of Peterson's print market, with demand driven by his Shepard Fairey association and consistent secondary-market interest. It is a recognizable, frame-ready image rather than a sleeper, so condition and provenance carry most of the value.
Historical Context
Produced in 2017, Virgins (Gold) belongs to the period when Cleon Peterson (b. 1973, Seattle) had moved from gallery exhibitions into widely collected limited-edition prints, often in restrained black, white, red and gold palettes. The work draws directly on his interest in Greek vase painting, Hogarth and street art, translating ancient depictions of conquest and ritual into a stark modern indictment of abuse and power. It dates from the height of his collaborations and rising profile within the Fairey/Obey-adjacent print collecting community.
FAQ
What does Virgins (Gold) depict?
A frieze-like arrangement of nude gold figures: standing and reclining women across the upper register, and two crouching male figures at the bottom corners who grab and pin prone bodies, staging Peterson's recurring themes of domination, predation and vulnerability.
What is the edition size?
The edition is 28, a small run and the more scarce gold variant of the composition.
Is it signed and numbered?
Peterson limited-edition prints are conventionally signed and numbered in pencil by the artist; buyers should verify the signature and edition number on the specific impression.
What is the medium?
It is a hand-pulled screen print, executed in metallic gold over a black-and-white ground.
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, drawing 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.