Gauntlet Gallery
What is Cleon Peterson’s piece called “Will To Power (II)”
Summary
A stark black-and-white screen print showing a muscular figure on a rearing horse swinging a club down at three cowering, kneeling men below — one already collapsed face-down on the ground — staging a scene of mounted conquest and helpless submission. It is a signature example of Cleon Peterson's vocabulary of domination and brutality rendered in flat silhouette and drawn directly from classical equestrian battle imagery.
Why It Matters
Will To Power (II)" distills Cleon Peterson's central subject — the raw mechanics of power and the violence beneath civilization — into a single, instantly legible image. The rider-and-victims composition borrows the structure of ancient Greek vase painting and the long art-historical tradition of the conquering horseman, but strips it of glory: the aggressor is faceless and the violence one-sided, turning a heroic motif into an indictment. The Nietzschean title underlines Peterson's recurring theme of unchecked authority. Working purely in black on cream, without his trademark red, the print shows his graphic, high-contrast street-art-rooted style at its most reductive and forceful.
Collector Perspective
An early Peterson screen print from 2013, when his market was first building momentum, in a limited edition of 100. Hand-signed and editioned in pencil in the lower margin (an "HC"/hors-commerce annotation is visible at lower left here, with the artist's signature and date at lower right). Early small-edition Peterson prints from this period are sought after as the foundation of his catalog and trade actively in the secondary market. Condition and clean margins matter on these black-ground prints, which show handling and scuffing easily.
Historical Context
Made in 2013, this print comes from the period when Cleon Peterson (b. 1973, Seattle) was emerging from the skate and street-art scenes and establishing the brutal, allegorical language of power and conflict that would define his career and his many collaborations with Shepard Fairey. The mounted-warrior-over-fallen-figures motif and the Nietzschean "will to power" title connect his work to classical antiquity — Greek vase painting and historical battle imagery — reframed as a timeless commentary on dominance and abuse.
FAQ
What does this print depict?
A muscular, faceless figure mounted on a rearing horse raises a club to strike three kneeling, cowering men below, one of whom already lies collapsed on the ground — a scene of mounted conquest and one-sided violence.
What is the edition size?
The edition is limited to 100.
Is it signed and numbered?
Yes. Peterson hand-signs and editions these prints in pencil in the lower margin; this example shows an annotation at lower left and the artist's signature and year at lower right.
What medium and year is it?
It is a screen print produced in 2013.
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, 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.