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Study of a Peacock
William Etty·c. 1805
Historical Context
A peacock displays its magnificent plumage in this natural history study painted around 1805. Etty's animal studies, though far less numerous than his figure work, demonstrate the same sensual appreciation for color and texture that distinguishes his treatment of human flesh. The iridescent blues, greens, and golds of peacock feathers offered an irresistible subject for a painter devoted to the Venetian colorist tradition. Manchester Art Gallery holds this study, a reminder that Etty's eye for natural beauty extended beyond the human form.
Technical Analysis
The peacock's plumage allows Etty to explore an extraordinary range of iridescent color within a single subject. He renders the eye-spots of the tail feathers with careful precision while treating the body plumage more broadly. The interaction of blue-green metallic tones with warm browns and golds creates a chromatic richness that connects this animal study to Etty's broader painterly concerns.
Look Closer
- ◆Notice the peacock's extraordinary range of iridescent color — blues, greens, and golds rendered with the same sensual appreciation for color and texture Etty brought to human flesh.
- ◆Look at the eye-spots of the tail feathers rendered with careful precision while the body plumage is treated more broadly.
- ◆Observe this rare animal study from around 1805 demonstrating that Etty's coloristic gifts extended beyond the human form.
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