Gauntlet Gallery
What is Cleon Peterson’s piece called “Punishment (Bone)”
Summary
A monumental black-and-white screen print in which a single colossal, blank-faced figure looms over the composition while dozens of small white figures swarm, crawl, fight and flee across its dark mass and the cave-like void surrounding it. It is a signature Cleon Peterson allegory of domination: one overpowering authority and a writhing mob of the punished, rendered in his stark high-contrast flat style.
Why It Matters
Punishment (Bone) distills the central obsession of Peterson's work — the brutality embedded in power and the human cost of it — into one of his most graphically reductive statements. Stripped of his usual red and gold, the print operates in pure black and white: a giant seated overlord, faceless and impassive, presides while clusters of tiny figures attack, grovel and scatter through a primordial darkness. The cave-like setting and the scale contrast between the single titan and the teeming small bodies push the imagery toward myth and parable, echoing the artist's debt to Greek vase painting and Hogarth while staying firmly in his own visual language of social violence. The monochrome palette makes the cruelty feel ancient and inescapable, which is exactly the point.
Collector Perspective
Released in 2021 as a screen print in a small edition of 36, this is a scarce, large-format Peterson on the tighter end of his print runs — most of his solo screen prints sit in editions of 75 to 150, so 36 is notably limited. Peterson prints are hand-signed and numbered by the artist, typically in pencil in the lower margin. The monumental scale and pure black-and-white treatment make it a strong wall statement and an accessible entry point relative to his unique paintings, while the low edition count gives it a firmer collector floor than his more common releases. Demand for Peterson has been steady, buoyed by his Shepard Fairey association and consistent gallery presence.
Historical Context
By 2021 Cleon Peterson (b. 1973, Seattle) had spent more than a decade building a body of work centered on power, violence and social conflict, exhibiting internationally and collaborating frequently with Shepard Fairey. Punishment (Bone) belongs to this mature period, when he had distilled his vocabulary of fighting, crawling and dominated figures into bold, near-monumental prints. The work draws on the same lineage that runs through his practice — black-figure Greek vase painting, Hogarth's moral narratives and street-art graphics — recast as a contemporary meditation on authority and cruelty.
FAQ
What does Punishment (Bone) depict?
A single enormous, blank-faced figure dominates the frame while dozens of small white figures swarm, fight, crawl and flee across its body and through the dark cave-like space around it — Peterson's allegory of an overpowering authority and the mob it subjugates.
How large is the edition?
The edition size is 36, making it a scarce release relative to most of Cleon Peterson's screen prints.
Is the print signed and numbered?
Yes. Cleon Peterson hand-signs and numbers his prints, typically in pencil in the lower margin.
What is the medium?
It is a screen print, produced in 2021 in Peterson's flat, high-contrast graphic style — here entirely in black and white.
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 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.