Gauntlet Gallery
What is Cleon Peterson’s piece called “Peace (Gold)”
Summary
A stark, frontal human skull rendered in cream and metallic gold against a black ground, its grinning teeth clenched over a scatter of spent bullet casings, with a faint city skyline dissolving into smoke behind it. The bitterly ironic title "Peace" turns one of Cleon Peterson's signature memento mori into a comment on the body count left by power and war.
Why It Matters
The skull is one of Peterson's most concentrated images: where his crowd scenes spread brutality across many bodies, here he reduces it to a single death's-head and a handful of empty shells. The gold treatment elevates a grim subject to something altarpiece-like, weaponizing the language of value and reverence against the violence it depicts. Titled "Peace," it lands as pure irony — the peace that follows conflict is the silence of the dead. It distills the artist's whole project, exposing the brutality beneath civilization, into a single, instantly legible icon.
Collector Perspective
A 2023 screen print in a small edition of 19, hand-signed and numbered by the artist. The gold variant is the more sought-after colorway of this skull image, and at only 19 examples it sits well below Peterson's standard 100–150 print runs, putting it firmly in his scarce, lower-supply tier. Demand for his work is steady among street-art and contemporary collectors, with the bold black/cream/gold palette and universally legible skull subject giving it broad appeal. The tiny edition means examples surface infrequently on the secondary market.
Historical Context
Released in 2023, this print belongs to the recurring death-and-mortality strand that runs throughout Cleon Peterson's output alongside his fighting figures, mobs and End of Empire vases. Born in Seattle in 1973, Peterson builds on classical Greek vase painting, Hogarth's moralizing satire and street art to expose the abuse of power; the skull-and-spent-ammunition motif extends his long-running meditation on the human cost of authority and conflict. The small gold edition reflects the limited, palette-specific variants he issues alongside his larger primary runs.
FAQ
What does this print depict?
A large, frontal human skull in cream and metallic gold set against a black background, its teeth clenched over a row of spent bullet casings, with a ghostly city skyline fading into smoke behind it.
Why is it titled 'Peace'?
The title is ironic. By pairing the word 'Peace' with a skull and empty ammunition, Peterson points to the death and silence left behind by war and the exercise of power.
How large is the edition?
The edition is just 19 — a small run that places it among Cleon Peterson's scarcer prints.
Is it signed and numbered?
Yes. This is a hand-signed and numbered screen print from the limited edition of 19.
What medium is it?
It is a screen print on paper, produced in 2023 in Peterson's signature flat, high-contrast palette — here black, cream and gold.
Who is Cleon Peterson?
Cleon Peterson (b. 1973, Seattle) is an American artist known for stark black, white, red and 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.