The painting belongs to a series of works known under the conventional name of "Peacocks". Those art pieces were influenced by Rayonism (a type of abstract or semi-abstract painting) and the pictorial language of Primitivism. The works in question combine ancient Egyptian art principles with Russian folk art traditions. The peacock’s figure is transformed into an expressive sign. The bird's chiselled head and elegant neck are shown in profile whereas its magnificent tail is placed frontally as prescribed by ancient Egyptian art. There is a green oval between them that provides a background for the neck, head and body. The peacock seems to be examining in surprise its own tail, which resembles a grand architectural structure. It reminds the Coliseum, an arched iconostasis, a rainbow and a palette all at the same time. Unlike Art Nouveau artists, who associated peacock feathers with elegant luxury, Goncharova interprets this motif as primordial power expressed in colours. The peacock’s image seems to embody an ancient symbol of immortality.
State Tretyakov Gallery, Moscow