Happy reminder of primate painter crowds used to love
A rare work by a famous modern painter of 50 years ago has been discovered by a Shropshire family during a clear-out.
But the art world might suspect more than a touch of monkey business in the abstract piece brought to light by Dorothy Jukes at her home in Hopton Bank, near Cleobury Mortimer.
For the artist responsible was a resident at Dudley Zoo.
Her name was Cindy-Lou – and she was a chimpanzee.
But back in the early 1960s Cindy-Lou was a celebrated animal artist whose primate – sorry – primary works attracted international bids of up to 60 guineas – that's £63.
And, in those days, the average weekly wage was only just over £23.
Now Mrs Jukes has found one of those works, which was bought by her late husband many years ago, and donated it to the zoo.
The chimp was famous for her artistic talents during the 1960s and used to enjoy looking the part in an artist's beret while painting her masterpieces in front of visitors.
Cindy-Lou, who was one of five young chimps at the zoo in those days, used to sit on a stool and paint at an easel, with her keeper, Margaret Missenden, helping out by mixing oils and encouraging her to use the brush.
One of those works – not surprisingly an abstract piece – was bought by Mrs Jukes's late husband, Ted, at auction in 1966.
Mr Jukes was a journalist on the Shropshire Star's sister paper the Express & Star during the 1960s and he covered the story of the chimp's artistic career.
He liked the picture so much he bought it at a London gallery.
Mrs Jukes said: "I was clearing a lot of bits and pieces out of the house and I wondered if the zoo would like to have the painting.
"I'm delighted they've accepted it and understand they will be framing it and displaying it in the new offices."
Dudley Zoo spokesman Jill Hitchman said: "We received a phone call from Dorothy Jukes and were thrilled to hear she had an original Cindy-Lou.
"She asked us if we would like the artwork for our archives – and we are now going to hang it in our new offices.
"She also told us about a video clip on the British Pathe news website of Cindy-Lou painting which offers an amazing glimpse of the chimp enclosure."
The video clip, which shows Cindy-Lou's keeper, Margaret Missenden, mixing oils and encouraging the chimp to sit on her stool and paint, can be viewed at http://www.britishpathe.com/video/painting-chimps/query/dudley+zoo
