Pigeons
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Columbia livia f. domestica
Fantail Pigeon
Fantail Pigeon
Symbolism
The dove is the universal symbol of peace, love, purity, simplicity, harmony, hope and rediscovered happiness. It has its origins in the biblical story of Noah's Ark. According to the Old Testament, after the flood, Noah released a dove that returned with an olive branch in the beak, which showed that the water was receding and that peace had been made with God. In Christian iconography, the white dove is most commonly used because of its immaculate whiteness and is also a metaphor of the Holy Spirit, who appeared in the form of a dove at the baptism of Jesus Christ. The dove is the bird which also appears associated with the image of Aphrodite and Eros, symbolizing the loving fulfillment and desires of lovers. It represents, therefore, what man possesses of imperishable and impalpable, a vital principle, the soul, the essence of love. It is the symbol of love, especially when represented through a pair of white pigeons.
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The Pigeons in the art
Through the centuries, the pigeons have been painted by famous painters such as Alan Hunt, Antônio Capel, Charles Church, Charles Frederick Tunnicliffe, Edgar Hunt, Eugène Remy Maes, Harrison Weir, Heni Sandoval, J W Ludlow, Konstantin Kacev, Lee Man Fong, Mr. AJ Simpson, Tim Hayward, Vladimir Gusev, Vernon Ward, among others.
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