This artist, diagnosed with autism at age three, paints cityscapes with stunning detail and is celebrated worldwide for his incredible talent.
Source: National Geographic
Diagnosed with autism at the age of three, Stephen Wiltshire has become famous for his ability to recreate city scenes with astonishing accuracy after just a single glance.
Today, he is one of the most renowned artists in Great Britain. His art is in such high demand that clients wait up to eight months for their orders, and videos of him drawing large, detailed panoramas go viral almost instantly.
As a child, Stephen spoke his first word at five and could sketch wildlife and caricatures of his teachers with incredible precision. He later began drawing buildings he saw in London with exceptional detail, turning his passion into an obsession.
When he was eight, British Prime Minister Edward Heath commissioned a piece from him. Stephen began speaking more fluently at nine and published his first book of illustrations at thirteen. He has been featured on numerous TV shows and documentaries that explore the lives of ‘savants.’
During a trip to New York for an interview, he met neurologist Oliver Sacks, to whom he sketched an exact replica of his house after just a quick look. “The combination of great abilities with great disabilities presents an extraordinary paradox: how can these opposites coexist?” Sacks wrote in the foreword to Wiltshire’s second book.
In 1989, Stephen visited Venice and created his first panoramic illustration, showcasing his talent for capturing the smallest details of urban landscapes. Using only his memory, he draws streets, monuments, and other features. He has recreated cities around the world, including Jerusalem and Sydney. His latest project brought Mexico City to life on a nearly four-meter canvas.
In 2006, King Charles III honored him as a ‘Member of the Order of the British Empire’ for his contributions to art. That same year, he opened his own gallery in central London. Today, his photograph welcomes visitors at London’s Heathrow Airport.
According to his website, in late 2003, Orleans House Gallery in Twickenham, England, held the first major retrospective of Wiltshire’s works. Over 40,000 visitors attended the exhibition, breaking the gallery’s attendance records. In May 2005, he traveled to Tokyo to create a panoramic sketch of the city, the largest of his career. Two months later, he drew a detailed image of Rome from memory, including the Vatican and St. Peter’s Cathedral.