Gauntlet Gallery
What is Cleon Peterson’s piece called “The Devourer”
Summary
A matte-black figurative sculpture of two contorted nude bodies locked in a predatory embrace, one bent into an arch while the other crouches beneath and devours it. The Devourer translates Cleon Peterson's flat graphic language of violence and consumption into a three-dimensional object, distilling his core subject — the brutality beneath civilization — into sculpted form.
Why It Matters
Most of Peterson's recognized output is two-dimensional — screenprints, paintings and works on paper built on stark black/white/red/gold contrast. A sculpture like The Devourer is a comparatively rare excursion into three dimensions, taking the writhing, interlocked figures that populate his prints and giving them physical mass and shadow. The monochrome black finish and smooth, classicizing modeling tie the object back to his references in Greek statuary and vase painting while the subject — one body literally consuming another — makes his recurring theme of predation and the abuse of power inescapably literal. For collectors it is a chance to own Peterson's vocabulary as a tactile object rather than an image on a wall.
Collector Perspective
This is a sculptural object rather than a print, which places it in a different and smaller corner of Peterson's market than his widely traded screenprints. Edition size and medium are not confirmed here, so a buyer should verify the run, materials (resin, bronze or cast composite) and whether it is signed and numbered before committing. As a three-dimensional piece it carries display and shipping considerations that flat works do not, and resale liquidity for an artist's sculptures is typically thinner than for their paper editions. Pricing should be confirmed against the issuing publisher; treat any secondary offer in the context of confirmed edition data.
Historical Context
Dated 2023, The Devourer sits in the mature phase of Cleon Peterson's career (b. 1973, Seattle), after his violence-and-power imagery had become widely collected through prints, paintings and frequent Shepard Fairey collaborations. By the early 2020s Peterson was extending his graphic language into objects — sculptures and three-dimensional editions that carry the same themes of conflict, mortality and predation found across his End of Empire and related bodies of work.
FAQ
What does The Devourer depict?
Two stylized nude figures in matte black, locked together in a violent, contorted pose — one bent into an arch while a second crouching form beneath presses into and appears to consume it, literalizing Peterson's theme of one body devouring another.
Is this a print or a sculpture?
It is a three-dimensional sculptural object in a smooth black finish, not one of Peterson's flat screenprints — a less common format in his output.
What is the edition size?
The edition size is not confirmed in the available information. Buyers should verify the run directly with the publisher or gallery before purchase.
Is it signed and numbered?
Signature and numbering details are not confirmed here and should be verified, ideally against documentation from the issuing publisher.
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 in a flat black/white/red/gold palette, drawing on Greek vase painting, Hogarth and street art, and a frequent collaborator of 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.