Gauntlet Gallery
What is Cleon Peterson’s piece called “Little Big Man Mueller / Trump (Red)”
Summary
A towering red-suited figure with a blank, masked face looms in front of a black ground, dangling a pair of open handcuffs from heavy chains held in each fist. Trapped below, a smaller white-suited figure stands with arms forced outward, wrists effectively bound by the descending chains — Peterson's stark allegory of the Mueller investigation closing in on a cornered Trump, rendered in his signature flat black/white/red palette.
Why It Matters
This is one of Peterson's most overtly topical works, made at the height of the Special Counsel investigation in 2018. Where much of his output abstracts power and brutality into faceless, timeless archetypes, here he points directly at a specific political moment: the law (the looming red authority figure with the cuffs) bearing down on a named target (the diminutive white figure pinned by the chains). It distills his career-long subject — the abuse and reversal of power — into a single legible image, making it both a document of its era and a clean example of how he weaponizes hierarchy, scale, and the suit as a symbol of institutional force.
Collector Perspective
A 2018 screen print in an edition of only 24, hand-signed and numbered by the artist in pencil along the lower margin. This is a deliberately small, politically pointed release rather than one of Peterson's larger open editions or signature show prints, which makes it considerably scarcer than most of his market. The overtly Trump/Mueller subject narrows the buyer pool somewhat but gives it strong appeal to collectors of political and protest art and to completists of Peterson's topical work. Expect limited supply on the secondary market; condition and clean margins matter at this edition size.
Historical Context
Cleon Peterson (b. 1973, Seattle) built his reputation on flat, high-contrast scenes of fighting, dominance and social conflict drawn from Greek vase painting, Hogarth and street art. By 2018 his work had grown increasingly explicit about American politics, and this print sits in that politically charged late-2010s vein, made while Robert Mueller's Special Counsel probe into the Trump administration dominated the news cycle. The "Little Big Man" framing — a large, faceless authority dwarfing a small but defiant figure — recasts his usual power dynamics around a real and recognizable confrontation.
FAQ
What does this print depict?
A large red-suited, masked authority figure looming over a smaller white-suited figure, dangling open handcuffs on heavy chains so the lower figure's outstretched arms appear bound. It is Peterson's allegory of the Mueller investigation pressing in on Trump.
How large is the edition?
The edition is just 24, making it one of Peterson's smaller and scarcer releases.
Is it signed and numbered?
Yes. Like Peterson's editioned prints, it is hand-signed and numbered by the artist in pencil in the lower margin.
What is the medium?
It is a screen print, executed in Peterson's characteristic flat black, white and red palette.
Who is Cleon Peterson?
Cleon Peterson (b. 1973, Seattle) is an American artist known for stark, high-contrast images 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.