“Value does not wait for the number of years,” wrote (Pierre) Corneille. The proof? A “painter” toddler – he still wears diapers! – has become, in just a few months, a star of Instagram and the art world. Some media have even already nicknamed it the “mini-Picasso”.
In his workshop located in a corner of his house in Neubeuern, Bavaria, Laurent Schwarz, a (very) young three-year-old German, paints canvases often larger than him with abstract and colorful patterns with brushes, rollers… or just his fingers covered in paint.
A vocation born on vacation
The little one discovered this passion almost a year ago, during a vacation in a family hotel which had a workshop: “we came home, and all he wanted to do was paint, paint, paint! “, his mother, Lisa Schwarz, 33, told AFP.
His parents then set up a workshop for him in a corner of their house and bought him some canvases and paint. Later, they created an Instagram account which describes, with supporting photos and videos, the work of their offspring.
A success as dazzling as it was unexpected
“In four weeks, we had reached 10,000 followers,” recalls Lisa Schwarz, who nevertheless assures that she was initially only looking for a way to easily share images of her son’s work with family and friends.
The first requests for galleries are pouring in, fueled by the enthusiasm of the media and social networks around the little prodigy who now has 90,000 followers.
During a sale organized at the end of September 2024 in Neubeuern, buyers from all over the world sometimes bet up to several hundred thousand euros on his works. “Among those interested, there was a famous American actor, royal families… It was incredible,” assures Lisa Schwarz.
Other wonders of the brush
Even if the little Bavarian developed a passion for his art very early on, he was not the first to pick up brushes early. And fashion phenomena around the emergence of children presented in the media as the new “little Picassos” are not rare.
In 2022, for example, ten-year-old American Andres Valencia was already selling his works inspired by the Spanish master of Cubism for several hundred thousand Euros. And Romanian-American Alexandra Nechita was nicknamed “Little Picasso” in the late 1990s after attracting the attention of the artistic community at the age of 12.
A secure future
Laurent Schwarz’s parents say they are still very surprised by the turn their son’s adventure has taken. They also ensure that the money paid for their works goes into an account in the child’s name and that they can use it as they wish once they become adults.
Our “Painting” file
“He will be able to study painting, buy a car, play a musical instrument or play football… It will be up to him to choose,” promises his father Philippe Schwarz, 43 years old. “The important thing for us is that he is happy,” he assures.
