In most modern, western cultures, peacocks are associated with Victorian era vanity. It's easy to understand this symbolism. Male peacocks strut their gorgeous tail feathers during mating season. The colors are dazzling. There's an air of confidence, beauty, and superiority. I've witnessed this sort of elegance ... more than once. It's striking.
Other cultures see peacocks as powerful. After all, they can attack, kill, and eat snakes. I've never seen this and I'm pretty sure I never will. That's okay. It sounds sort of scary!
Peacocks are often symbols of royalty. In various Chinese dynasties, only the highest nobles and members of the royal family were allowed to wear the rare "two eyed"
peacock feathers. Yet in other, ancient times and in many Indian and Chinese
interpretations, peacocks symbolized ever-lasting life. This makes
sense too. At the end of summer, peacock's molt; they lose their
feathers and grow new ones in time for next year. In this sense, peacocks are like a phoenix
rising from ashes. There is a sense of reincarnation in a peacock,
and there are even Biblical legends that spin a tale about the
peacock being the only animal who does not eat the forbidden fruit
offered by Adam and Eve. In the 4th century Byzantine mosaics in Ravenna, Italy, peacocks are plentiful. They represent resurrection. I've been to Ravenna twice in my life and that's likely when I fell in love with peacocks.
I like peacocks because of all these associations but most of all because a peacock is really just a pretty chicken. I've always gravitated to the elevation of the mundane into fine art!
These six Peacock Feathers are $395 each and going to the Grovewood Gallery in Asheville this weekend.
They are very beautiful.
ReplyDeleteGorgeous. Thanks for the info
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