Peacock Stern Carving 1935 - 1942

This 'Peacock Stern Carving' was made by John Davis, who lived from 1855 to 1995. It gives me the impression that it was made on paper with watercolor, but it is also likely a study for a sculpture. The way the peacock and foliage is composed it makes me think about how an artist might translate a 3-D object onto a 2-D plane. The lines give the impression of an etching, but it is watercolor on paper, which is a pretty crafty thing to do. The peacock is very elaborate, especially the tail feathers, and the wood grain shows behind it, creating a contrast that makes the peacock the focal point. I wonder if the peacock is too symmetrical. The way it's balanced, it reminds me of someone like Gustav Klimt, who also played with symmetry and ornamentation. It’s cool to see how different artists play with similar ideas across time. There's always some ambiguity in art, which keeps things interesting!