The Mural of Primate Evolution, created by artist Jay Matternes for the 1993 opening of the Museum's Hall of Human Biology and Evolution, represents 50 million years of primate evolution through the depiction of five genera representative of their times. Reading from right to left, a panorama in five vignettes allows us to follow changes in skull size, brain size, hand formation, and other characteristics in this remarkably detailed and realistic depiction of early primates and their habitats.

In the right-hand section of the mural, the somewhat squirrel-like Plesiadapis, an archaic primate that lived 60 to 53 million years ago, is shown in the region that today is Wyoming. This is followed by Notharctus, which lived approximately 48 million years ago. Notharctus was a more advanced primate that is quite similar to a modern lemur. It had a larger brain, in comparison to the size of its body, than did earlier primates. It also had forward-facing eyes, and relied less on the sense of smell than did its ancestors. Notharctus was common in the rainforests that then covered present-day Wyoming, where it is depicted here. (Primates not unlike Notharctus were similarly well established in Eurasia and possibly Africa .) In the next segment is Aegyptopithecus, dating from some 34 million years ago. Aegyptopithecus, one of the first higher primates, the group to which humans belong, is known from the Fayum region in Egypt, where it is shown in the mural . Following Aegyptopithecus is Proconsul, which flourished 19 million years ago. This was one of the earliest ape-like primates. Yet despite an increase in brain size, it was a relatively primitive animal. It is shown in the Miocene forest of what is now Rusinga Island, Kenya. Finally, we see Sivapithecus, from about 8 million years ago, whose face and jaw were like the modern orangutan but whose body was still monkey-like. Sivapithecus flourished in Pakistan and India; the m odern orangutan is found only on the islands of Sumatra and Borneo, although formerly it was found on the east Asian mainland.

Through a remarkable and painstaking technique, Mr. Matternes has given us a clear idea of the appearance of animals that have been extinct for millions of years. He began by drawing a detailed image of each animal's skeletal remains. From there, he built each one up from the inside out, using his extensive knowledge of anatomy and his detailed draftsmanship to add muscle, tissue, skin, and fur to the bones. This precise visual record is carried over to the animals' habitats as well, in everything from the foliage to the light. Thus, through the marriage of art and science, we are given entry to a lost world and a vivid picture of a broad swath of evolution.