Gauntlet Gallery
What is Cleon Peterson’s piece called “Divided We Stand, United We Fall (Timed Edition)”
Summary
A stark screen print depicting the U.S. Capitol building rendered in flat black and white against a sky of red flames, with shattered debris scattered in the foreground and the inverted slogan "DIVIDED WE STAND, UNITED WE FALL" across the top. The work channels Peterson's signature high-contrast black/white/red palette into an explicit political statement on American institutional collapse and civic division.
Why It Matters
This is one of Cleon Peterson's most directly political images, trading his usual anonymous brawling figures for the literal seat of American government engulfed in flame. By inverting the national motto "United We Stand, Divided We Fall" into "Divided We Stand, United We Fall," Peterson sharpens his career-long thesis about the abuse of power and the brutality beneath civilization into pointed commentary on the polarized, post-January-6 American moment. The burning Capitol makes the artist's recurring themes of authority, conflict and societal breakdown unmistakable, and the graphic clarity of the image gives it real protest-poster force.
Collector Perspective
A 2022 screen print issued as a Timed Edition with a small run of 24, making it one of the scarcer Peterson editions to reach the market. Timed-edition formats are sold within a fixed window but capped at the number of orders placed, so 24 is a genuinely limited count rather than an open run. Expect the print to be signed and numbered consistent with Peterson's release practice. For collectors, the combination of an overtly topical American-politics subject, the small edition size, and Peterson's strong secondary-market following makes this a focused, recognizable piece; it sits in the mid-tier of his print output by accessibility, with the low edition number working in its favor over time.
Historical Context
Released in 2022, the print belongs to the run of explicitly political works Peterson produced in the years surrounding the 2020 election and the January 6 Capitol attack, when his imagery of power, mobs and institutional violence took on direct American reference points. Peterson (b. 1973, Seattle), a frequent Shepard Fairey collaborator, draws on classical Greek vase painting, Hogarth and street art; here that vocabulary is applied to a national monument, placing the work alongside his broader End of Empire and power-and-authority themes.
FAQ
What does this print depict?
The U.S. Capitol building rendered in flat black and white against a sky of red flames, with debris scattered across the foreground and the slogan "DIVIDED WE STAND, UNITED WE FALL" running along the top — an image of American political collapse and division.
What is the edition size?
The edition is 24, issued as a Timed Edition, making it one of Peterson's scarcer print releases.
Is it signed and numbered?
Consistent with Cleon Peterson's release practice, the print is hand-signed and numbered.
What is the medium?
It is a screen print (silkscreen), produced in 2022 in Peterson's signature high-contrast black, white and red palette.
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. A frequent Shepard Fairey collaborator, he draws on classical Greek vase painting, Hogarth and street art to expose the abuse of power and the brutality beneath civilization.
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.