Gauntlet Gallery
What is Cleon Peterson’s piece called “The Devil Made Me Do It (Timed Edition)”
Summary
A stark, flat-graphic screen print in Cleon Peterson's signature black, white and red palette depicting a white-suited businessman figure striding across the frame while red devils whisper, claw and tempt him from behind, with the text "SNAP, SNAP, SNAP" overhead and "THE DEVIL MADE ME DO IT" beneath. It distills Peterson's central preoccupation with corruption, complicity and the abuse of power into a single morality-play image where authority cloaks itself in self-justification.
Why It Matters
The print is a sharp, legible statement of Peterson's recurring argument that power is rotten at its core and that those who wield it excuse their cruelty. By dressing the protagonist in a crisp white suit and surrounding him with literal red demons, Peterson turns an old religious idiom of devilish temptation into a pointed commentary on modern corruption and the self-serving alibis of the powerful. The reduced black/white/red palette, hard silhouettes and classical frieze-like flatness tie it directly to the visual language Peterson has built across his End of Empire and related bodies of work, making it an accessible, on-message example of his practice.
Collector Perspective
A small, tightly editioned screen print at just 24 examples, released as a 2022 timed edition, which puts it at the scarcer end of Peterson's print output where most fan-facing releases run from the low hundreds into the several hundreds. For collectors it offers a clean, archetypal Peterson composition with strong wall presence in the small format, and the low edition size supports it as a collectible rather than a high-volume poster. As with most Peterson timed editions, value rests on the iconic palette and clear thematic content; verify the signing and numbering against the certificate or the sheet before purchase.
Historical Context
Cleon Peterson (b. 1973, Seattle) emerged through skate and street-art culture and became widely known for flat, high-contrast scenes of violence, power and social conflict that borrow from Greek vase painting and Hogarth's moral satires. This print dates to 2022, well into his mature period after the End of Empire works and his frequent collaborations with Shepard Fairey, when he was issuing tightly editioned screen prints that compress his larger themes of corruption and the abuse of authority into single, poster-scaled images. "The Devil Made Me Do It" sits squarely within that line of morality-driven work, using the timed-edition format that became common for limited print releases in the period.
FAQ
What does this print depict?
A white-suited man strides forward while red devils behind him whisper, claw and tempt, under the words 'SNAP, SNAP, SNAP' and above 'THE DEVIL MADE ME DO IT' — an image about corruption, temptation and the excuses of the powerful, rendered in Peterson's flat black, white and red style.
How large is the edition?
The edition size is 24, making it one of Peterson's smaller, scarcer print runs.
Is it signed and numbered?
Peterson's limited screen prints are typically hand-signed and numbered; confirm the signature and edition number on the sheet or accompanying certificate before buying.
What is the medium and format?
It is a screen print, issued in 2022 as a timed edition.
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 drawn from 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.