Gauntlet Gallery
What is Cleon Peterson’s piece called “End Of Empire, Kantharos (Black)”
Summary
A stark screen print rendering a classical Greek kantharos (a two-handled wine cup) in flat white against a black ground, with a single nude figure stretched and writhing across the cup's body in Cleon Peterson's signature silhouette style. It belongs to his "End of Empire" body of work, which reimagines antique Greek vessel forms as carriers of contemporary violence and civilizational collapse.
Why It Matters
Peterson's "End of Empire" series is the clearest statement of his core thesis: that the brutality, power abuse and moral decay of the present are not new but are the same forces that toppled the ancient world. By appropriating the kantharos — a vessel associated with Dionysian drinking, excess and ritual — and filling it with a contorted, struggling body, he collapses thousands of years of "civilization" into a single image of suffering. The reductive black-and-white palette and the vase-painting reference to Greek antiquity make this one of the most conceptually loaded and graphically disciplined images in his print catalog.
Collector Perspective
A 2018 screen print from an edition of just 12, which puts it among the scarcest tiers of Peterson's print output — most of his open-themed editions run in the dozens to low hundreds, so a run of 12 sits well below that. The "Black" colorway is one of a small set of color variants of the kantharos image. Expect a hand-signed and numbered impression consistent with Peterson's standard practice. As a tiny-edition object tied to his most recognized series, it appeals to focused Peterson collectors and is harder to source than his larger editions; condition, full margins and the deckled edge matter for value.
Historical Context
Made in 2018, this print is part of Cleon Peterson's "End of Empire" project, in which he translated his flat, high-contrast scenes of conflict onto the forms of classical Greek pottery — kantharoi, kraters and related vessels — alongside related vase and sculpture works. Peterson (b. 1973, Seattle) draws on Greek vase painting, Hogarth's moralizing prints and street-art directness, and the series cemented his reputation for using antiquity as a mirror for modern power and decline. The work sits in the same era as his most visible public moment, the 2017 "Endless Sleep" and inauguration-period output and his ongoing collaborations with Shepard Fairey.
FAQ
What does this print depict?
A classical Greek kantharos — a tall, two-handled drinking cup — shown in white silhouette on black, with a single nude figure stretched and writhing across the body of the cup. It fuses an antique vessel form with Peterson's recurring imagery of human struggle and the abuse of power.
What is the edition size?
The edition is just 12, making this one of the scarcer prints in Cleon Peterson's catalog.
Is it signed and numbered?
Impressions from this edition are issued hand-signed and numbered by the artist, consistent with Peterson's standard print practice; a pencil signature is visible in the lower margin of this example.
What is the medium and which series is it from?
It is a screen print from 2018, part of Cleon Peterson's 'End of Empire' body of work, which maps his violence-and-power imagery onto classical Greek pottery forms. This is the 'Black' colorway.
Who is Cleon Peterson?
Cleon Peterson (b. 1973, Seattle) is an American artist known for stark, high-contrast black/white/red/gold scenes of violence, power and social conflict. He draws on Greek vase painting, Hogarth and street art, and is a frequent collaborator 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.