Gauntlet Gallery
What is Cleon Peterson’s piece called “By The Sword (First Edition)”
Summary
By The Sword (First Edition) is a stark black-and-white screen print depicting two muscular nude figures locked in brutal hand-to-hand combat: a standing aggressor cocks a club or staff overhead to strike a fallen figure beneath him, who clutches a knife in a last act of defense. The flat, silhouetted forms and bleeding ink contours are pure Cleon Peterson, channeling the savagery and abuse of power that defines his early-to-mid 2010s body of work.
Why It Matters
This print distills Peterson's central thesis — that violence and domination are the brutal engine beneath the veneer of civilization — into a single, legible confrontation. The high-contrast black-on-white palette and writhing, wrestling bodies draw directly on classical Greek vase painting and figure groups, recast as a timeless allegory of the strong devouring the weak. Dating to 2014, it sits in the formative period that established the visual language Peterson would carry through his End of Empire vases, museum shows, and his collaborations with Shepard Fairey, making it a representative early statement of his now-recognizable style.
Collector Perspective
As a First Edition screen print in a small run of only 40, this is among the scarcer Peterson prints on the secondary market, where his more common editions run 75 to 150 or larger. Peterson screen prints from this era are typically hand-signed and numbered, and the limited size supports stronger demand when examples surface. Market context: recorded Cleon Peterson print sales cluster around a $275 to $350 median, with signed/numbered 2014-period prints (e.g., a comparable 2014 edition) trading toward the $700 range; the tight edition of 40 positions this title at the upper end of that band when condition and signature are confirmed. A buyer should verify the signature, numbering, and sheet condition, as these drive value most.
Historical Context
Released in 2014, By The Sword belongs to the period when Peterson (b. 1973, Seattle) was consolidating his reputation through gallery editions and a flat, monochromatic vocabulary of fighting, clubbing, and writhing figures. The work reflects his synthesis of ancient Greek black-figure vase painting, the moral satire of Hogarth, and the directness of street art — a lineage that frames contemporary brutality as an ancient, recurring human pattern. The mid-2010s were a breakout stretch for the artist, overlapping with his rising profile and frequent collaborations within the Obey Giant / Shepard Fairey orbit.
FAQ
What does By The Sword depict?
Two nude, muscular figures in violent combat: a standing figure raises a club or staff to strike a fallen opponent below, who grips a knife. It is rendered in Peterson's signature flat, high-contrast black-and-white style as an allegory of domination and the title's implied fate — that those who live by the sword die by it.
What is the edition size?
The edition is limited to 40, making it one of the smaller and scarcer Cleon Peterson print editions, as many of his other prints run 75, 100, 150, or larger.
Is it signed and numbered?
Peterson screen prints from this period are characteristically hand-signed and numbered by the artist. Buyers should confirm the pencil signature and edition number on the specific example before purchase.
What is the medium?
It is a hand-pulled screen print (silkscreen) on paper, issued as a First Edition in 2014.
Who is Cleon Peterson?
Cleon Peterson (b. 1973, Seattle) is an American artist known for stark scenes of violence, power, and social conflict in a flat black/white/red/gold palette. 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.