The peacock is featured in many religious works of art from the Middle Ages to Renaissance as a symbol of resurrection, immortality, and eternal life due to its association with Hera in Greek mythology and its distinctive tail feathers. In several paintings depicting biblical scenes like the Annunciation, Adoration of the Shepherds, and Adoration of the Magi, peacocks can be seen perched in the background as a symbolic reminder of Christ's death and resurrection. Peacocks also frequently appear in paintings involving the Greek goddess Hera due to their sacred status as her attributed animal.

3. This brilliantly hued bird ...
has fascinated humans since ancient times,
integrated into all religions and cultures has given rise to magnificent representations

4. considered a symbol of omnipotence, immortality, resurrection and eternal life in the Christian iconography
symbol of beauty and integrity associated with the Greek goddess Hera, Juno to the Romans, in Greco-Roman antiquity
symbol of great beauty, of splendor, royalty, respect, honor, distinction, wealth as well as pride and vanity

5. Peacock
in European paintings

7. The Archangel Gabriel descends from God to tell the Virgin that she is to bear a child
– a moment known as the Annunciation – but has been distracted from his mission
by a bishop saint, who has stopped him in the street of a Renaissance town.
This is Saint Emidius, patron saint of the town of Ascoli Piceno in the Italian Marches.
This painting is unique in showing a local saint effectively intervening in a biblical event.
…
Many of the details dotted around the painting had symbolic meaning at the time:
the lily Gabriel holds refers to Mary’s chastity and spiritual purity,
the glass vase was a metaphor for the mystery of Christ’s conception, as light passes
through glass without fracturing it
and
the peacock perched were symbols respectively of Christ’s Passion and Resurrection
Carlo Crivelli
The Annunciation, with Saint Emidius
Annonciation avec Saint Emidius ou Annonciation d'Ascoli
La Anunciación con San Emigdio
1486
National Gallery, London

10. Luke tells us that the shepherds came by night, but Tintoretto gives us enough
light to see all the details.
Actually, each is a visible sign of what is as yet unseen:
the rafters make the shape of a cross,
the ox and the ass symbolize Christ’s humility,
the fowl and the eggs being offered by the shepherd refer to the resurrection,
the cock is from the array of objects from Christ's Passion as seen
in Mass of St. Gregory images,
the peacock is a symbol of resurrection and immortality.
(The two birds thus remind the viewer of the death and resurrection of Christ,
which is the final cause for his birth.)
Jacopo Tintoretto
The Adoration of the Shepherds
L'Adoration des bergers
La adoración de los pastores
1578-1581
Scuola Grande di San Rocco, Venice

14. A peacock,
a symbol of the Resurrection perched on the stable roof …
Following the three kings a splendid procession,
symbolizing all the races of mankind, waits to pay homage
to the new-born Christ.
Fra Angelico, Fra Filippo Lippi
The Adoration of the Magi is a tondo
Adoration des mages dite Tondo Cook
La Adoración de los Reyes
1440-1460
National Gallery of Art, Washington

18. A hut surmounted by a majestic peacock ...
The Three Kings come to offer gifts to the Saviour of mankind.
The procession of the Kings is impressive
and
for the first time in Italian Renaissance painting,
two camels are seen.
Domenico Veneziano
Adoration of the Magi
Adoration des mages
La Adoración de los Reyes
1435
Gemäldegalerie, Staatliche Museen, Berlin

22. On January 6 of each year, the day of the Epiphany, the Medici actually
participated in the procession of the Magi.
A painter could therefore also afford to replace the “Magi Kings”
with members of the Medici family.
…
a peacock on the wall ...
The peacock is not only a symbol of God's omniscience,
is also of spiritual rebirth and therefore of resurrection, eternal life.
(It is clear that here Botticelli wanted to highlight the Medici family, but also
“position” two worlds: a celestial, supernatural world, timeless and mankind,
bathed in this golden light of the star that crosses the roof of the crib and
illuminates Christ
and on the other hand, the contemporary, human, real world of masters
of Florence.)
Sandro Botticelli
Adoration of the Magi
L'Adoration des mages
La Adoración de los Reyes
1475-1476
Galleria degli Uffizi, Florence

27. A ledge separates the viewer from the saint and his domain,
providing a visible boundary between the real and the painted world.
It is guarded by two birds, they're both attractive and religiously symbolic:
a partridge associated with both truth and deceit.
and
a peacock
Since the early Christians, the peacock has represented Christ because
it personifies the virtues of immortality, kingship, and eternal glory.
The partridge instead is an animal that connects to the specific iconography
of Saint Jerome. In fact, in one of his writings, the Doctor of the Church
uses the partridge and its habits of hatching other birds’ eggs, as an allegory
for all the fools who accumulate riches unjustly and vainly.
Antonello da Messina
Saint Jerome in His Study
Saint Jérôme dans son étude
San Jerónimo en su estudio
1475
National Gallery, London

31. Funny ornithology …
a swan, a rooster, a peacock and a goldfinch, surrounding their Creator ...
Are they the Lord's beloved creations?
Perhaps the artist’s choice is subjective and not really convincing in terms
of the importance of these birds in human destiny.
Master Bertram, Maître Bertram
Grabow Altarpiece, Creation of the Animals
Retable de Grabow, La Création des animaux
Retablo de Grabow, La creación de los animales.
1379-1383
Kunsthalle, Hamburg

34. Peacock-feathered wings …
The tail of the peacock, with its ‘thousand eyes’ are symbolic of omnipotence and
often ascribed to the Archangel Michael.
...
Four angels sound trumpets at the feet of Christ; they announce the Last Judgment
and waken the dead.
They surround the Archangel Michael, who, resplendent in his white robe scarlet
cloak, impassively weighs the resurrected.
Rogier van der Weyden
Beaune Altarpiece,The Last Judgment
Retable polyptyque, Le Jugement dernier
Políptico del Juicio Final, El Juicio Final
1446-1452
Musée de l'Hôtel-Dieu, Beaune

37. Case Description: Complainant Argus accuses Defendant Hermes of murder.
When Hera caught Zeus cheating on her with a nymph named Io, king of the gods
turned Io into a white cow.
Hera demanded the "cow" as a gift, placing the Argus as the guard.
Zeus then sent Hermes to free Io, and the messenger of the gods lulled Argus to sleep
with his lyre, then chopped off the giant's head.
Case Status: Case dismissed. The queen of the gods honored Argus by placing his
eyes on the tail of the peacock, her sacred animal.
...
The goddess Juno, Hera, sitting on the clouds, receiving the head of Argos delivered
by Mercury, Hermes.
Next to the goddess is the peacock, on whose wings are the eyes of the shepherd.
... Thus ends the tale of a hapless lackey, casually crushed by the capricious affairs
of his betters.
Jacopo Amigoni
Juno Receiving the Head of Argos
Junon recevant la tête d'Argos
Juno recibiendo la cabeza de Argos
1732
Moor Park Mansion, Batchworth

41. A Dubious Honor ...
“I know she meant it as an honor, but it was kind of weird when Hera
put my eyes on the tail of her peacock after I was killed.“
This shows the conclusion of the story of Mercury and Argus …
Juno receives eyes which have been removed from Argus’ head,
and places them on the tail feathers of her peacocks.
The headless corpse of Argus lies contorted in the foreground.
Peter Paul Rubens
Juno and Argus
Junon et Argus
Juno y Argos
1611
Wallraf–Richartz Museum, Cologne

44. The god Jupiter wished to immortalize his infant son Hercules,
whose mother was the mortal Alcmene, so he held him to the breast
of his sleeping wife, the goddess Juno, to drink her milk.
However, Juno woke. The milk which spurted upwards formed
the Milky Way, while that which fell downwards gave rise to lilies.
…
In addition to the protagonists two animal symbols
of the divine spouses:
the Eagle with lightning bolts, symbol of Zeus
and
two peacocks, the sacred bird of Hera, a symbol of beauty and integrity
associated with Hera Juno.
Jacopo Tintoretto
The Origin of the Milky Way
L'Origine de la Voie lactée
El origen de la Vía Láctea
1575
National Gallery, London

47. Hera Juno,
infant Heracles Hercules,
Zeus Jupiter in the background, identifiable by his eagle and lightning bolts
and
the carriage is pulled by peacocks
Peter Paul Rubens
The Origin of the Milky Way
L'Origine de la Voie lactée
El origen de la Vía Láctea
1636-1637
Museo del Prado, Madrid

50. The fairest of three goddesses will receive a golden apple.
But who dare judge them and pronounce one more
beautiful than the others?
Juno Hera, Venus Aphrodite, Minerva Athena they undress
for Paris’ perusal with no hint of shame or embarrassment,
Mercury Hermes, the messenger of the gods,
Paris, golden apple held in hand,
Cupid gathering up the goddesses’ discarded robes,
the grazing sheep,
a owl, a symbol of wisdom observes proceedings,
three lascivious satyrs, thrilled to be seeing three naked goddesses
and
Juno's peacock, which is hissing angrily at Paris’ dog
Peter Paul Rubens
The Judgment of Paris
Le Jugement de Pâris
El juicio de Paris
1632-1635
National Gallery, London

54. Two women, with their ornate hairstyles,
the page-boy climbing between the marble pillars,
the white kerchief, the pearls and the doves, Venus's bird, symbols of chastity,
the pomegranate on the balustrade, a symbolic reference to love and fertility,
dogs symbolizing fidelity.
and
the peahen emblem of a happy marriage ...
a celebration of marriage ?
Vittore Carpaccio
Two Venetian Ladies
Deux Dames vénitiennes
Dos damas venecianas
1490
Museo Correr, Venice

57. The gods of marriage and love, Hymen and Cupid, present the portrait of Marie de’ Medici
to Henry IV, the king of France.
Cupid’s arrow has hit its mark, the king is smitten.
...
From the heavens above, Jupiter and Juno look down with approval,
Jupiter’s fierce eagle, looks away from the couple
in contrast,
Juno’s peacock looks at the divine couple, and his mate cranes her neck to look at the portrait.
A pink silk ribbon binds them together.
The peahen perches on Juno’s chariot, directly above a golden relief of Cupid who balances
a yoke-shaped garland (a symbol of marriage) on his shoulders as he playfully dances on
the wings of a proud eagle.
The message is clear: even the king of the gods can be subdued by love.
Following Jupiter’s lead, Henry must also turn his attention to marriage.
Peter Paul Rubens
Henri IV reçoit le portrait de Marie de Médicis et se laisse désarmer par l’Amour
The Presentation of Marie de' Medici's Portrait to Henry IV
La presentación del retrato de María de Medici a Enrique IV
1621-1625
Musée du Louvre, Paris

60. The first meeting of Marie and Henry, which took place after their nuptials by proxy.
Marie and Henry as the mythological Roman gods Juno and Jupiter.
...
Henry is shown as Jupiter identified by the fiery thunderbolts in his hand
and the eagle.
Marie as Juno with the peacocks and the chariot.
(Rubens needed to be very careful in the representation of the couple's first
meeting because allegedly Henry was very much involved with a mistress
at the time of the marriage.
By presenting him as Jupiter implies the promiscuity of the man and the deity.)
Peter Paul Rubens
Entrevue du roi et de Marie de Médicis à Lyon
The Meeting of Marie de' Medici and Henry IV at Lyons
El encuentro de María de Médici y Enrique IV en Lyon
1621-1625
Musée du Louvre, Paris

63. An art and wonder chamber,
a woman, as an allegory of 'visus' sight
an telescope and astrolabe,
an early magnifying glass,
an globe and an orrery
paintings and sculpture
and
a long gallery flooded by sunlight
and
the peacocks :
their feathers have eye-like markings, and refer to the well-known
myth of Argus.
Jan Brueghel the Elder, Jan Brueghel l'Ancien
The Sense of Sight
Allégorie de la vue
La vista
1617
Museo del Prado, Madrid

67. A jay looks wonderingly at a blank music book that has wedged
itself in a bough, at the foot of which lies a dead dove
and
a Brazilian parrot, a crowing, a gallinaceous bird, two herons
are each adding their own song to the cacophonous concert
of cawing, screeching, squawking, crowing and cooing
and
with his eye-strewn plumage, a peacock
- the bird sacred to Juno, queen of the gods in mythology-
lends noble and radiant beauty to the whole picture
Jan Fyt
Bird Concert
Concert d'oiseaux
Concierto de pájaros
1658
Liechtenstein Museum, Vienna

71. o.esqsegues@gmail.com
Peacock in European paintings
Le paon dans la peinture européenne
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