The world is going gaga over a very special kind of talent. A German toddler, paintbrush in hand, earned the title of “pint-sized Picasso” for his vibrant and genuinely applaud-worthy artwork. No, he wasn’t painting landscapes or portraits but rather abstract pieces that commanded prices around $325,000. In his brief three years on this planet, Laurent Schwarz sold about 30 pieces to collectors, fetching between $10,000 and $15,000 each. His gallery-worthy paintings, hard to believe they were a child’s work, garnered a fan following of nearly 90,000 on Instagram and an actual waiting list of over 20,000 people eager for a glimpse of this pint-sized artist’s spectacular creations.
A U.S. buyer was ready to pay a whopping $325,000 for Laurent’s debut piece, “The Fingers,” a lovely motley of reds, yellows, and blues that would have made Monet smile. His 32-year-old mother, Lisa, shared, “People were just huge fans; they even showed up at our doorstep, and Laurent received fan mail daily.” She discovered his hidden talent only last year during an Italian holiday when Laurent wouldn’t leave the kids’ painting room.
His fascination with the hobby was supported by his parents, who even created a studio at home for him. Even then, Lisa was unaware that her child was not just playing with paint but creating mini-masterpieces. It was only when she shared her one-of-a-kind offspring’s first work on Instagram that a New York art critic mentioned he had “an exceptional talent.”
Laurent’s acrylic on canvas paintings garnered interest from Britain to the Bahamas, with even a New York art gallery approaching them with the offer to display Laurent’s work at the two-year-old’s first vernissage. The proceeds from the painting sales were transferred straight into an account for Laurent, which he would have access to when he turned 18, Lisa said.
“It was totally up to him when and what he painted,” Lisa added. “Sometimes he didn’t feel like painting and didn’t set foot in his studio for three or four weeks, but then suddenly it grabbed him, and he said, ‘Mama, painting.’” Art, after all, is a matter of the heart, and who better to understand this than a child?”
