East Indian

Beverly Hackett

Beverly Hackett chose a large format for this elegant color woodcut, the image alone measuring nearly two feet across, and in doing so has made her subjects even more regal than might be obvious at first glance. As is typical of Hackett’s work, she has captured the character of the proud bird with aplomb. Her use of rich cranberry red, midnight blue, pine green, silvery gray and lavender lends itself to showy appearance of the Indian Peafowl - one peacock and two peahens - with their breast-forward stance and distinctive crests.

This species of peafowl is the national bird of India. The male possesses the long train that includes the extravagant tail “covert” feathers, which he displays in a fan-like manner during courtship. Peafowl are members of the pheasant family and they nest on the ground and roost in trees.