Gauntlet Gallery
What is Cleon Peterson’s piece called “Blood & Soil II”
Summary
A flat black-and-red Cleon Peterson scene in which a hulking uniformed authority figure in a peaked cap — unmistakably a state enforcer or police officer — looms over and pins a sprawling red victim to the ground, one hand clamped on the prone figure's head while the victim's arm flails upward in a futile defensive gesture. Rendered in Peterson's signature black/white/red palette with blood-like red spatter, it is a stark distillation of his core subject: the brutality of power and the body crushed beneath it.
Why It Matters
Blood & Soil II sits at the center of Cleon Peterson's project of exposing the violence underwriting civilization and authority. The title borrows the notorious "Blood and Soil" nationalist slogan, recasting it as an indictment: the print stages an act of state brutality with no ambiguity about who holds power and who is destroyed by it. Peterson strips the scene to silhouette and flat color — a strategy inherited from Greek vase painting and Hogarth's moral satires — so the violence reads instantly and universally. Produced in 2018 amid intense public reckoning over policing and authoritarianism, it is one of his most pointed political statements and a textbook example of the high-contrast figural vocabulary that made his name.
Collector Perspective
A 2018 hand-pulled screen print in a small edition of 24, signed and dated in red by the artist at lower right and numbered at lower left. The tiny edition size puts this well below Peterson's larger open and 100+ runs, making it one of the harder works to source on the secondary market. It belongs to the politically charged "Blood & Soil" group of authority/brutality images that collectors prize as core Peterson subject matter. Demand for his black/red figural prints is steady, and a sub-25 edition of a strong, on-theme composition tends to hold value better than his larger runs. Condition (clean deckled edges, no handling creases, untrimmed margins) and an intact pencil/red signature and number are the things that matter most here.
Historical Context
Cleon Peterson (b. 1973, Seattle) emerged in the 2010s with stark, high-contrast scenes of violence, power and social conflict, drawing on classical Greek vase painting, Hogarth, and street-art directness. By 2018 he was an established figure with major murals, a frequent Shepard Fairey collaborator, and a robust print following. Blood & Soil II dates from this mature period and engages directly with the era's debates over policing, state force and resurgent nationalism — its title pointedly invoking the fascist "Blood and Soil" doctrine. The work exemplifies the authority-and-brutality theme that runs through his End of Empire and related bodies of work.
FAQ
What does Blood & Soil II depict?
A large black-clad authority figure in a peaked cap — read as a police officer or state enforcer — looming over and pinning a red victim to the ground, gripping the prone figure's head as it raises a hand in futile defense. It is a direct image of state violence and the abuse of power.
How large is the edition?
The edition is just 24, making it a scarce, small-run print in Peterson's catalog.
Is it signed and numbered?
Yes. It is hand-signed and dated by Cleon Peterson in red at lower right and numbered at lower left.
What is the medium?
It is a hand-pulled screen print from 2018, executed in Peterson's signature flat black, white and red palette.
Who is Cleon Peterson?
Cleon Peterson (b. 1973, Seattle) is an American artist known for stark black/white/red 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.