He has a delicate brushstroke and an eye for colour that would give Picasso a run for his money.

So it’s all the more impressive that this impressionist painter is in fact… an elephant.

Noppakhao, also known as Peter, has churned out dozens of works of art over the years, with some fetching as much as $700.

Noppakhao – which stands for the ‘nine colours of the gemstones’ – began painting eight years ago as part of the Asian Elephant Art & Conservation Project (AEACP) in Ayutthaya province, nearly 50 miles north of Bangkok.
According to the organisation’s website, the 11-year-old bull ‘exhibits a wonderful sense of dexterity and control with the paintbrush’ to draw landscapes and floral designs.

Funds from the sale of his work – some of which come with a price tag of up to $700 – go towards conservation projects and training caretakers.

In the past, elephant painting has led to accusations that the animals are harshly treated in efforts to train them.

But the AEAC says it ‘does not tolerate any abuse of the elephants either while painting or in everyday interaction.’

 Անկախ