Final answer:
Peacocks and birds in artworks can symbolize various concepts and often have rich cultural significance. These symbols may represent ideals like longevity or reflect the style and themes of the artists and their times.
Step-by-step explanation:
Peacocks and birds in silk paintings often symbolize various concepts which could include the artist and other artists of the time, homage of court officials to the artist, or could simply be artistic representations with no deeper symbolism. Within the historical context, silk paintings were a medium through which symbolic imagery was often conveyed. For example, the symbols of longevity, such as cranes and turtles, were frequently incorporated in these works as part of court art supported by the king, and they represented different aspects of nature and ideologies like Confucianism. The inclusion of such symbols in folk art brought the same representations of longevity and nature into the homes of ordinary people.
Moreover, prominent painters of different dynasties and schools, such as Wu Changshuo of the Qing Dynasty and Mansur of the Mughal Empire, displayed distinct styles and themes in their paintings. Changshuo, for instance, rejuvenated the painting of birds and flowers by combining the traditional education with new flair after the Shanghai School of Art, while Mansur was renowned for his realistic depictions of birds.