Monkey painting

Explore the Monkey painting collection.

Most of us never think about it, but the representation of wild animals, of all kinds, differs from culture to culture. Western culture tends to focus on realism, humor and adventure. In the Far East, on the other hand, these creatures are depicted in a more elegant and decorative manner. A monkey painting will fit perfectly in the decoration of a living room. It will bring life and a touch of mischief. Discover now our collection of monkey paintings on Tableaux du Monde.

The monkey in art and paintings

Since the Middle Ages, monkeys have had a reputation for being mischievous and shameless, and in art they frequently appear as a symbol of the devil. So not very positive.

In a 17th century Dutch monkey painting, a chained monkey refers to the sinful man who allows himself to be ruled by lust. In Cornelis van Haarlem’s Fall of Man, the monkey is identified with a sanguine temperament.

Monkeys were also considered very exotic.
Owning such a creature was a luxury that only the rich could afford. Besides sin, the monkey was also associated with imitation and intelligence. In paintings of monkeys, they are often depicted “apeing” human activity.

Apes in art

Regardless of their attitudes or expressions, paintings of monkeys often add a touch of humor and playfulness to our walls. But it is from 17ᵉ century that the interest in this animal so close to our species knows a great success.

Monkeys swarm in art becoming figures of the deceitful double and sarcastic images of human childishness. Indeed, the monkey is also painted in situations very similar to those of humans and allows a parodic comparison of human actions.

This allows us to take a step back from them. This is called Singerie. Recently, it is the famous artist Banksy who often uses this primate to parody our society.