Was the cover of Peasants, Pigs & Astronauts meant to have a symbolic meaning?

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or was the figure dressed like a cross between a deep sea diver, bandit and hippy traveler in India, on a golden excelater, & in a white beam of light against ghostly trees or reading the paper on a log with purple grass, just used because it looked cool? "everybody stay calm, don't panic, it's just the end of the world"