Gauntlet Gallery — Complete Cleon Peterson Print Index
The Nightmare (Yellow)
Work Summary & Collector Notes
"The Nightmare (Yellow)" is a 2021 hand-pulled screen print by Cleon Peterson, signed and numbered in an edition of 100. Measuring 16 x 16 inches on 290gsm Coventry Rag with deckled edges, this yellow colorway injects a jarring, high-alarm hue into Peterson's black graphic language, heightening the sense of dread the title promises.
Collector notes: The saved release record describes: Limited edition of 100. The saved release record describes: signed; numbered. Verify each feature against a documented example of this edition.
Why It Matters
Yellow is Peterson's signal color for menace, and here it functions like a warning light. Against black figures, the acid tone converts the composition into something feverish and airless. It matters as a strong example of how the artist weaponizes a limited palette to make a small square feel genuinely unsettling.
Collector Perspective
The yellow colorway carries visual punch that outsizes its 16 inch footprint, making it a favorite for collectors who want maximum graphic impact in an entry-level format. Edition of 100, hand-pulled on archival stock, signed and numbered, it holds its own beside larger works while remaining approachable.
Historical Context
Released in 2021, "The Nightmare" extends Peterson's long preoccupation with fear, aggression, and the darker impulses of contemporary society. The yellow-and-black scheme is a recurring device in his catalog, self-released direct from the artist during a prolific period of small-format print production.
Documented Release Details
- Object type
- Editioned screenprint
- Release date
- 2021
- Release-date note
- Catalog-listed release year from the saved secondary record; primary release-page confirmation remains pending.
- Medium and materials
- Screen Print; catalog dimensions 16 x 16 inches; 16 x 16 inch, Hand-pulled screen print; Printed on 290gsm Coventry Rag paper with deckled edges.
- Edition details
- The saved release record describes: Limited edition of 100.
- Signature and marks
- The saved release record describes: signed; numbered. Verify each feature against a documented example of this edition.
Documented History and Meaning
History note: This page treats Cleon Peterson's broader career as background context, not proof that this specific edition belongs to any single exhibition or event. Release-level facts here come from a saved secondary catalog record.
Meaning / interpretation: Read as documented context rather than stated intent: Released in 2021, "The Nightmare" extends Peterson's long preoccupation with fear, aggression, and the darker impulses of contemporary society. This is an interpretive reading of the release context, not a statement of the artist's intent for this specific work. This interpretive note follows the cited artist or publisher context.
Release context: The saved catalog lists 2021 and attributes the edition to Cleon Peterson (Self Released).
Authentication, Presentation and Provenance
- Original presentation
- Original packaging or presentation was not documented in the release sources reviewed.
- Authentication note
- Compare the support, dimensions, edition number, and signature against a documented example of this edition. Gauntlet Gallery does not authenticate works purchased from third parties.
- Provenance note
- Edition origin is attributed in the saved record to Cleon Peterson (Self Released). That does not establish the ownership history of an individual copy: retain the original invoice, reseller or gallery paperwork, labels, correspondence, and condition photographs.
Sources and Verification
Verification status: Secondary catalog snapshot; artist-level context added
- Saved release record — Art Collectorz · secondary catalog snapshot · Accessed 2026-07-13 · Starting record for title, year, edition, dimensions, medium, and release description. Primary confirmation against the original release page remains pending.
- Cleon Peterson — official site — Cleon Peterson studio · primary artist source · Accessed 2026-07-13 · Official artist site; career context, not an individual-edition record.
- Cleon Peterson — Wikipedia · reference encyclopedia · Accessed 2026-07-13 · General artist-level biographical and career reference.
- Cleon Peterson (Q124215748) — Wikidata · reference knowledge base · Accessed 2026-07-13 · Structured identifier used for the artist across catalog metadata.
FAQ
Why is it called The Nightmare?
The title frames the work within Peterson's themes of dread and menace, amplified here by the alarming yellow-on-black palette.
What size is it?
16 x 16 inches on 290gsm Coventry Rag paper with deckled edges.
How many were printed?
A signed and numbered limited edition of 100.
Is the yellow part of the print or the paper?
The yellow is a printed color, applied through the hand-pulled screen printing process against Peterson's black figures.
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