Gauntlet Gallery
What is Cleon Peterson’s piece called “Vengeance To Take”
Summary
A stark Cleon Peterson screen print showing two towering black figures wielding curved blades and a club to attack a gold central figure who kneels and cradles a child, shielding it from the assault. It is a signature Peterson tableau of asymmetric brutality, rendered in his flat black/white/gold palette and frieze-like composition.
Why It Matters
The print distills Peterson's central subject — the abuse of power and the helplessness of victims caught beneath it — into a single, legible image. The two armed aggressors loom in solid black at the edges while the gold protector folds protectively over a small child at the center, turning the violence into something intimate and moral rather than abstract. The borrowed visual grammar of Greek vase painting (the rhythmic silhouettes, the limited palette, the writhing limbs) lends the contemporary cruelty a timeless, almost mythic weight, which is exactly the tension Peterson is known for.
Collector Perspective
A small edition of 24, hand-signed and numbered by Peterson, placing it among his scarcer screen-print releases (his prints more typically run 100-200). The compact run and the strong, self-contained composition make it desirable to collectors of his work, though the very limited supply means it trades infrequently and price discovery depends on the occasional secondary-market appearance. Condition, full margins, and an intact signature/numbering are the value drivers. A focused work for dedicated Peterson collectors rather than an entry-level piece.
Historical Context
Produced in 2018, during the period when Peterson's work — much of it made alongside frequent collaborator Shepard Fairey — was sharpening into pointed commentary on authoritarianism, mob power, and social violence. The black-white-gold palette and gold-figure-as-victim motif recur across his prints and paintings of this era, drawing on classical Greek vase painting and the moral storytelling of Hogarth to frame present-day brutality in ancient visual terms.
FAQ
What does this print depict?
Two large black figures armed with a club and curved blades attack a gold central figure, who kneels and shields a small child against its body. It is a scene of power exercised violently against the vulnerable.
What is the edition size?
The edition is 24.
Is it signed and numbered?
Yes. Like Peterson's editions generally, it is hand-signed and numbered by the artist.
What is the medium?
It is a screen print, executed in Peterson's characteristic flat 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 frequently collaborates with Shepard Fairey.
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.