Gauntlet Gallery
What is Cleon Peterson’s piece called “Rule Of Law (Red)”
Summary
Rule Of Law (Red) arranges uniformed authority figures and black-clad, baton-swinging enforcers into a radially symmetric mandala whose interlocking legs and clubs form an eight-pointed star against a blood-red ground. It is a signature Cleon Peterson meditation on state violence, distilling the machinery of policing and power into a cold, decorative kaleidoscope.
Why It Matters
The work crystallizes Peterson's core thesis — that organized violence sits at the heart of civilization — by dressing brutality in the language of ornament. By rendering club-wielding officers as a tidy, repeating rosette, he exposes how institutional force becomes normalized, ritualized, even beautiful, which is far more unsettling than a literal beating scene. The title's irony (the "rule of law" depicted as men clubbing in formation) is pointed and timely, landing squarely in the post-2014/2016 conversation about policing, authority and protest that runs through Peterson's strongest political work.
Collector Perspective
A 2018 screen print in a tight edition of 28, signed and numbered in pencil at the lower right. The small edition size makes this notably scarcer than Peterson's more common runs of 100-plus, and the strict black/white/red palette plus the bold radial composition give it strong wall presence. It sits in the mid tier of the Peterson print market — collectible and recognizably "on-brand" for the artist, with the low edition supporting value, though it is a paper screen print rather than a more premium foil or sculptural object. Condition, full margins and intact signature are the things to verify.
Historical Context
Produced in 2018, at the height of Peterson's output addressing power, policing and social conflict in the United States. The reduced palette and flat, frieze-like figures draw directly on his stated influences — classical Greek black-figure vase painting, Hogarth's moralizing satire, and street-art graphics — here pushed into a symmetrical, almost heraldic emblem. The red colorway is one of a small family of variants Peterson issued for the image, the red intensifying the menace of the scene.
FAQ
What does Rule Of Law (Red) depict?
It depicts uniformed authority figures and black-clad enforcers wielding white batons, arranged in radial symmetry so their bodies and clubs lock together into an eight-pointed star on a red field — turning state violence into an ornamental, kaleidoscopic pattern.
What is the edition size?
The edition is 28.
Is it signed and numbered?
Yes. It is hand-signed and numbered in pencil by the artist, typically at the lower right.
What is the medium?
It is a screen print, the red colorway of the Rule Of Law image, made in 2018.
Who is Cleon Peterson?
Cleon Peterson (b. 1973, Seattle) is an American artist known for stark, high-contrast black/white/red scenes of violence, power and social conflict. He draws on Greek vase painting, Hogarth and street art, and is a frequent collaborator of 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.