Gauntlet Gallery
What is Cleon Peterson’s piece called “Into The Night MMXXI (Black On White)”
Summary
A solid black-on-white screen print showing a mounted rider on a rearing horse swinging a club down at a fallen, sprawled nude figure who throws up an arm in defense. Rendered in Cleon Peterson's signature flat, silhouetted, high-contrast style, the scene channels classical Greek vase painting to stage the brutality of power crushing the powerless.
Why It Matters
The image distills Peterson's central preoccupation — the abuse of power and the violence beneath civilization — into a single, legible silhouette. By quoting the visual language of antiquity (the rearing horse, the heroic rider, the defeated body) and stripping it to pure black on white, he frames cruelty as an ancient, recurring human pattern rather than a contemporary aberration. It is one of the cleanest expressions of his predator-and-victim dynamic, the engine that drives most of his celebrated work.
Collector Perspective
A 2021 screen print in a tight edition of 32, this is a genuinely small run that sits well below Peterson's larger 100–200 print editions, making it harder to source on the secondary market. Peterson's hand-pulled prints are typically signed and numbered in pencil; verify the signature lower-right and the numbering before purchase. The monochrome black-on-white treatment is the most graphic, poster-like version of the composition — strong wall presence, and the low edition number gives it more upside than his open or larger releases, though it lacks the added pop of his red or gold variants.
Historical Context
Made in 2021, this print belongs to Peterson's mature body of work in which he repeatedly mines Greek vase painting, Hogarth and street-art directness to depict power and conflict. The mounted aggressor striking down a fallen nude is a motif he returns to across paintings and prints, part of the same lineage as his End of Empire and equestrian-combat imagery that established him as one of the defining political-figurative artists of his generation.
FAQ
What does this print depict?
A rider on a rearing horse swinging a club down at a fallen, naked figure who raises an arm to shield himself — a stark depiction of power overpowering the defenseless, rendered as flat black silhouettes on a white ground.
What is the edition size?
The edition is limited to 32 prints, a small run for Peterson.
Is it signed and numbered?
Peterson's screen prints are typically hand-signed and numbered in pencil. Confirm the pencil signature and edition number on the sheet before buying.
What medium and series is this?
It is a 2021 hand-pulled screen print, the black-on-white colorway of the 'Into The Night MMXXI' composition.
Who is Cleon Peterson?
Cleon Peterson (b. 1973, Seattle) is an American artist known for high-contrast scenes of violence, power and social conflict in a flat black/white/red/gold palette, drawing on Greek vase painting, Hogarth and street art, and 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.