Who painted Peacock Spreading Its Tail Feathers?

Peacock Spreading Its Tail Feathers was painted by Giuseppe Castiglione in 1758.

Where can I see Peacock Spreading Its Tail Feathers?

Peacock Spreading Its Tail Feathers is held by National Palace Museum.

What movement is Peacock Spreading Its Tail Feathers?

Peacock Spreading Its Tail Feathers is associated with Rococo painting.

Can I buy a print of Peacock Spreading Its Tail Feathers?

Museum-quality prints of Peacock Spreading Its Tail Feathers are available made-to-order from Artifact World Gallery.

Artwork

Peacock Spreading Its Tail Feathers

Giuseppe Castiglione , 1758

Peacock Spreading Its Tail Feathers is an unspecified painting by the Rococo painting artist Giuseppe Castiglione. It dates from 1758 and is held in the collection of the National Palace Museum.

About this work

Overview

Giuseppe Castiglione’s 1758 silk painting, titled Peacock Spreading Its Tail Feathers, is part of the collection at the National Palace Museum. The work presents a tranquil natural scene centered on two peacocks, rendered with delicate brushwork on a silk substrate.

Subject & Meaning

The composition features a proud peacock displaying its iridescent plumage alongside a second bird moving away, its tail trailing behind. Set among verdant foliage and white‑blooming trees, the birds appear at ease within their environment, suggesting a harmonious relationship between fauna and landscape.

Technique & Style

Castiglione employs the luminous qualities of silk to achieve subtle gradations of blue and green in the peacocks’ feathers. The balanced arrangement of foliage, blossoms, and the dominant flowering tree creates a calm visual rhythm, while the fine detailing of the birds’ plumage reflects the artist’s mastery of Chinese court painting techniques blended with his European training.

History & Provenance

Created in 1758 during Castiglione’s tenure at the Qing court, the painting later entered the holdings of the National Palace Museum, where it remains on display as an example of cross‑cultural artistic exchange in the eighteenth‑century Chinese imperial workshop.