Monkey business: artist chimps paint in their own style, study shows

May 24, 2026 - 23:06

PARIS -- It is no secret that chimpanzees in captivity enjoy smearing paint on canvas, but a new study suggests their artistic choices go beyond random scribbles. Researchers from France and Japan have found that individual chimps develop their own recognizable painting styles, much like human artists do.

The team analyzed hundreds of paintings created by a group of chimpanzees over several years. They looked at patterns in brush strokes, color selection, and how the animals filled the canvas. The results showed that each chimp consistently used specific techniques. Some preferred bold, sweeping lines, while others focused on dense clusters of dots or careful, repetitive strokes. One chimp, for example, almost always left large empty spaces, while another covered every inch of the canvas in thick paint.

The study challenges the idea that ape paintings are purely random or meaningless. Instead, the researchers argue that the chimps show clear individual preferences and a sense of composition. The findings suggest that the drive to create visual patterns may be deeply rooted in primate evolution, long before modern humans emerged. While the chimps are not trying to express emotions or tell stories, their work shows that the basic urge to make a mark can be both personal and deliberate.