Pair of wall panels 1800 - 1810

Jean Démosthène Dugourc painted these wall panels with distemper on canvas, presenting us with a fascinating tableau of symbols. Here, we see a peacock at the very top of the image, and the rooster, both emblems of vigilance and pride, flanking a classical altar. Angels, reminiscent of antiquity, hover above a temple-like structure, framing a classical sculpture. These motifs resonate across time. The peacock, a symbol of immortality in Roman mythology, finds echoes in early Christian art representing the all-seeing church. The rooster, a symbol of the sun and rebirth, has been used throughout history to awaken dormant emotions. Its image incites courage. Consider how these symbols, initially pagan, were adapted and reinterpreted, influencing our collective subconscious. The emotional power of these images lies in their continuous rebirth. They resurface, evolved and adapted, in different historical contexts.