Child prodigy Edmund Thomas Clint created 25000 paintings before age seven

Edmund Thomas Clint produced more than 25000 paintings and sketches during his short life in Kochi, Kerala.

Born in 1976, the boy began drawing circles and lines on his home's floors and walls before he could walk. His parents supported his early interest by providing him with art supplies, which he used to create detailed scenes of animals, vehicles, and local cultural performances. Clint faced a severe kidney ailment at age two that required frequent hospital stays and painful treatments.

He used his creative work to manage the physical suffering of his illness. Without formal training, he mastered complex artistic elements like perspective and light to depict traditional Kerala culture, including Kathakali dancers and temple elephants. He worked with various materials including charcoal and acrylics on items ranging from paper scraps to cardboard boxes. Clint died in 1983 at the age of six.

His parents preserved his extensive catalog of work, which has since received international acclaim from critics and historians. The city of Kochi now names a public road after him. Additionally, Kerala Tourism organizes an annual international competition for children to submit their paintings in his memory.