I have always thought of representational art as a strictly human enterprise. The only example of the use of art in the non-human animal kingdom I can think of off the top of my head is that of male Bower Birds.
Male Bower Birds build a nest-like structure, except it isn't used as a nest. It is uses to attract females Bower Birds. The nest-like structure (the bower from which the birds get their names) is further enhanced by the male placing strikingly colored objects around it. They seem to have an inordinate fondness for blue.
But what about representational art, art that produces a recognizable picture? That I have always thought was the sole province of humans. At least until I saw this video:
That elephant just drew a picture of an elephant holding a flower!! I didn't believe it. I have been looking on YouTube at several other videos showing these elephants from Thailand doing just that. Of course they were trained to do it. It is possible that the elephant was trained to make those movements with his paintbrush and doesn't recognize what it is drawing, but I cannot believe that the painting would be so recognizable unless the elephant had a sense of form. I saw videos of this elephant making similar drawings. If it had no sense of form, then I cannot see how the imabe wouldn't degrade over time until it was unrecognizable. Also from looking at the painting the elephant seems to have a sense of shading. The lines beneath the elephant are darker. The elephant seemed to me to make special effort to make it that way especially when it drew in the 4th leg. I'm inclined to believe it is real.
In any case, I'm impressed. And I now think I was wrong about representational art being beyond at least elephants.
Cheers,
DB
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