AN ASSESMENT OF PEACOCK FIGURES IN THE ICONOGRAPHY OF TURKISH DECORATIVE ART
TÜRK SANATI BEZEME İKONOGRAFİSİ AÇISINDAN TAVUS KUŞU FİGÜRLERİNİN BİR DEĞERLENDİRMESİ

Author : Yusuf ÇETİN
Number of pages : 1-17

Abstract

Recent researches on Turkish art has begun to dwell more closely on the figural decoration, and new opinions have been asserted particularily regarding the symbolic meaning of the figures.Peacok, a bird species from phasianidae family, has attracted great attention and has been a significant symbol in iconography of many civilization thanks to its tale formed by an artsy feather particularly seen in the male kind. When analyzed in terms of iconography, it is clearly seen that the peacock figure is an emblem used to represent the sovereignty of the monarch in the pre-Islam Middle-Asian Turkish culture. This tradition has also carried on after the acceptance of Islam. The peacock figure also prevails above and below the thrones in the scenes that depicted the monarchs’ thrones. Moreover, it is known that the peacock figure represents beauty, status and honor in the Middle-Asian Turkish culture. Therefore, the figure is frequent in the decoration of magnificent buildings like palaces. Following the acceptance of Islam, the peacock figure has been identified as the ‘heaven bird’ symbolizing heaven. The portrayal of streams in the heaven with huge rivers has led the use of peacock figure in the structures related to water. Used as a decoration element in various areas from the early ages of Turkish art to the end of Ottoman era, the peacock figure, along with its aesthetical outlook, has presented a mysterious and prosperous world through its symbolic meaning.

Keywords

Peacock, Turkish Art, Figur, Iconograpy.

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