PRINCIPLES OF DESIGN AND APPLICATION

Lesson 12:Traditional Motifs in Relation to Textiles

Peacock motif

The peacock was painted on Indus Valley burial pots dating back to the third millennium B.C. and its depiction in tribal art indicated origins that may predate Indus Valley. Peacocks were found in Mauryan Buddhist sculpture, Gupta-period artifacts, Mughal miniatures, and in present-day wall paintings and textiles. Although it is hard to say if it had the same symbolism in every age, the peacock was found in the arts of most post-Indus cultures, indicating that it remained a potent symbol (Fig.12.112). The peacock is now India’s national bird. It symbolizes immortality, courtship, and fertility.