From September 17 to 21, 1957, the London Institute of Contemporary Arts held the exhibition Paintings by Chimpanzees.21 Sir Julian Huxley, famed evolutionary biologist, eugenicist, and good friend of Desmond Morris, gave a speech at the opening of the exhibition. He later wrote about a curious incident between Congo and Desmond Morris. “Once when Dr. Morris happened to hold out his hand, Congo took it and painted the nails almost as a manicurist might have done.”22 I have found no other reference to this incident.
21 Institute of Contemporary Arts London. Complete Exhibitions List 1948-Present. d. unknown. PDF file.
22 Huxley, Julian. “Aping.” New York Times Magazine 6 Oct. 1957: 270. Print.