Zoologist, author and surrealist painter Desmond Morris first observed his abilities when the chimpanzee was offered a pencil and paper at two years of age.

He learned to draw near the age of two, beginning when zoologist Desmond Morris offered Congo a pencil.

When a picture was taken away that he didn't consider complete, Congo would reportedly begin to scream and "throw fits".

[1] In the late 1950s, he made appearances on the British television show Zootime, which was presented live from the London Zoo by Desmond Morris.

Spanish painter Pablo Picasso was reportedly a "fan" of his paintings, and hung one of the ape's pictures on his studio wall after receiving it as a gift.