Congo (chimpanzee) facts for kids
A painting by Congo
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| Species | Chimpanzee (Pan troglodytes) |
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| Sex | Male |
| Born | c. 1954 |
| Died | 1964 (aged 9–10) London Zoo, London, England |
| Cause of death | Tuberculosis |
| Years active | 1956-1959 |
| Known for | Learning to draw and paint |
Congo (1954–1964) was a special chimpanzee from England. He became famous because he learned to draw and paint! A scientist named Desmond Morris first noticed Congo's artistic talent when Congo was only two years old. By the time he was four, Congo had created about 400 drawings and paintings. People described his art as "abstract impressionism," which means it used colors and shapes to show feelings, not clear pictures.
Contents
Congo's Amazing Art Journey
Congo was born in the wild in 1954. He started drawing when he was almost two years old. This happened after Desmond Morris, a zoologist and painter, gave him a pencil. Morris remembered, "Something strange was coming out of the end of the pencil. It was Congo's first line."
How Congo Started Drawing
Morris watched Congo closely. He saw that Congo would draw circles. Congo also seemed to understand how to balance his drawings. For example, if Morris drew a shape on one side of the paper, Congo would add marks on the other side. This made the drawing look balanced. If one side had blue, Congo would add blue to the other side too.
Congo's Painting Style
Soon, Congo began to paint. His paintings were not pictures of real things. Instead, they were often like a "radiating fan pattern." This style is called abstract impressionism. Between the ages of two and four, Congo made around 400 drawings and paintings.
Congo's Artistic Habits
Congo developed a routine for his painting sessions with Morris. He knew when a drawing was not finished. If someone took a picture away before he was done, Congo would get upset and "throw fits." But if Congo thought a drawing was complete, he would stop. No one could make him paint more, even if they tried!
Congo on TV and His Later Life
In the late 1950s, Congo appeared on a British TV show called Zootime. This show was broadcast live from the London Zoo and hosted by Desmond Morris. Congo lived to be ten years old. He passed away in 1964 from tuberculosis.
See also
In Spanish: Congo (chimpancé) para niños
