Ever since turning three last July, Niccolo has displayed an increasingly competitive streak. “I am taller than Andrian because I eat more.” Or “I play football better than Uncle Paolo.” And, of course: “I paint better than you, Mummy.” Which, incidentally, doesn’t take much.

Better than Mummy’s paintings, no doubt

Lately, however, his benchmarks have become a lot more ambitious. We were reading Laurence Anholt’s Picasso and the Girl with the Ponytail a few days ago when he piped up: “I paint better than Picasso.” And yesterday he came to me, all seriousness:

“Mummy, I have to tell you something.”

“Tell me.”

“Did Leonardo da Vinci draw?”

“Yes, you see, most artists draw preparatory sketches before they paint and…”

My explanation was cut abruptly short.

“Then I draw better than Leonardo.”

Hmm, well…even a mother’s love is not that blind!