Lucifer y el pavo real: un simbolismo coincidente en la pintura renacentista del Norte de Europa = Lucifer and the peacock: a coincident symbolism in Renaissance painting in northern Europe

Esperanza ARAGONÉS ESTELLA

May 2020 · Esperanza Aragonés Estella

About this ebook

The demons, like the higher angels that they were, are clothed with iconographic details that remind us of the peacock, such as the crest on its head, its characteristic wings and, above all, the blue skin colouring which reminds us of the characteristic colour of this bird. The use of peacock symbology comes about in an artistic period – the Renaissance – in which there is an abundance of iconography referring to the fall of the rebellious angels which harps on the motive of disobedience. In the same way that the peacock is the most beautiful bird in Paradise, Lucifer is the most beautiful of the angels and both, because of their attractiveness, represent the pride and vanity which caused the fall of the devil. That colour clothing also identifies the fallen angel with a cherubim, portrayed with the colour blue in art in contrast to the red colouring appropriate to the seraphim, who faced with the revolt of their fellows remained faithful to God and custodians of Paradise. 

 The physical attractiveness of the devil, which goes back to the new vision of the devil in the 16th c. emphasising his beauty, and the increasingly more frequent link between pride and luxury and conceit. By influencing the beauty of Lucifer, and artistic and literally trend will begin, that will derive in the romantic attractiveness of the devil.

   The iconography of Lucifer portrayed as a peacock lives on in the 20th c. in a religious community in the mountains of Irak. We are talking of the Yazadi of Lalish who adore an angel who disobeyed his Creator for which he was condemned to Hell. Once there his tears of repentance extinguished the flames of Hell leading to his being forgiven and raised to the position of God’s representative on Earth. He is called Melek Taus and is portrayed as a very beautiful peacock; its main colour is being blue, sacred in that creed and hence exclusive to that divinity.

About the author

Doctora en Historia del Arte por la Universidad de Navarra en 1994 con la tesis La imagen del mal en el románico de Navarra que ha sido publicada en Pamplona (1996) por el gobierno de Navarra, en una edición actualmente agotada.

Ha participado en sendos proyectos de inventariado del patrimonio artístico de Navarra. Entre 2001 y 2004 codirigiendo el Inventario Arquitectónico de Navarra y como colaboradora en las campañas realizadas entre 1991 y 1998 del Inventario de bienes muebles de la Iglesia también en Navarra.

Especialista en arte e iconografía medieval ha publicado sobre estos temas, diversas monografías y artículos en revistas especializadas. Entre sus publicaciones destacamos:

-Y Líbranos del Mal. Representaciones del diablo en el Arte: de la Antigüedad a nuestros días, EBOOK, 2017.

-"San Martín de Artaiz y el Paraíso como un jardín" en Románico: Revista de arte de amigos del Románico, nº 27, (2018); pp. 48-55.

-"Santo Sepulcro de Estella: bajo el signo de san Juan" en Terra Stellae, (2018); pp. 52-73.

-"La muerte en el Infierno: A propósito de la figura del Hombre-Árbol en el Jardín de las Delicias del Bosco" en De Arte, nº 6, (2007); pp. 131-138.

-"El mal, imaginado por el Gótico"en Príncipe de Viana, (2002); pp. 7-81.

-"El capitel de los Ríos del Paraíso en el claustro románico de la catedral de Pamplona" en Revisión del Arte Medieval en Euskal Herria. Eusko Ikaskuntza, (1996); pp. 285-296.