Pigcasso, the pig who painted pictures, died

This South African sow rescued from a slaughterhouse has painted more than 400 works with her snout and has been exhibited in South Africa, but also in the Netherlands, Germany, the UK and even China.

It’s a pig named Pigcasso whose death we learned this week: “Pig” for pig and “casso” in reference to the famous painter. Pigcasso was the first pig, or rather the first artistic pig, known for her talent as a painter. And it all started in 2016, when Joanne Lefson, a South African artist who had just opened an animal shelter, saved her from the slaughterhouse where she was destined. Then he notices that Pigcasso destroys everything in the piggy bank except the brushes… Brushes that he teaches him to use by putting them in his snout.

Paintings for more than 20,000 euros

And so, with the help of Joanne, who moved the canvas and placed the cans of paint to balance and create a composition, she began creating artwork, which she always signed by dipping the tip of her snout into beetroot ink. All this may not seem too serious, but Pigcasso was still the first non-human artist to exhibit his paintings, more than 400 works, in South Africa, but also in the Netherlands, Germany and the United Kingdom. in China.

It is even said that she became a millionaire. Either way, a millionaire in rands, South Africa’s currency. Some of Pigcass’s paintings have sold for more than €20,000, more than the previous record for an animal artwork, a painting by a chimpanzee in 2005. Also, speaking of chimps, famous primatologist Jane Goodall came to see Pigcass. on his farm in South Africa. Honor. In her 90s, the tireless animal rights activist was in much better shape during her visit than the sow, who had been limping at just 8 years old due to a calcified spine and polyarthritis. industrial farm. It remains to be seen who, now that Pigcasso has joined Pablo and his pig in the sky character, will take his brushes and his credo: less meat, more art!