Fernando Botero is the most famous artist in Latin America

Fernando Botero Angulo (born April 19, 1932) is a renowned Colombian artist of the 20th-21st centuries, known for creating unconventional paintings and sculptures with exaggerated volumes. Fernando Botero's artwork is characterized by an original, distinctive style known as "Boterism." The artist's works span various genres, including portraits, landscapes, still lifes, nudes, domestic scenes, parodies of classical masterpieces, and exploration of socio-political themes.

Fernando Botero. Photographic portrait of the artist

Biography of Fernando Botero

Fernando Botero was born in the Colombian city of Medellín on April 19, 1932. He was the second of three children in a family of a salesman and a seamstress. Fernando's father passed away early, so an uncle helped raise the children. During his childhood and youth, Fernando had limited exposure to the masterpieces of world art, aside from the architecture of the local Baroque church. Perhaps this is why he was able to develop his own unique style. His family did not approve of his interest in drawing, but at the age of 12, his uncle took him to a bullfighting school. While he didn't become a successful bullfighter, the theme of the bullfight became a significant element in his art.

Fernando Botero. Family scene, 1969

Fernando Botero. Horns, 1988

Fernando Botero first gained recognition as an artist at the age of 16 when a popular local newspaper began publishing his illustrations. He used the earnings to pursue his education. By the early 1950s, the artist was financially independent. His first solo exhibition took place in the capital city, where some of his works were sold. A year later, his second exhibition followed. In 1952, his second-place prize at the Ninth Salon of Colombian Artists provided the opportunity to travel to Europe. The painter visited the Louvre, Prado, and other famous museums, and also learned fresco techniques at the Academy of San Marco in Florence.

Fernando Botero. Birthday, 1971

Fernando Botero. Colombian girl, 1983

After returning to his homeland, the artist initially struggled and was even forced to sell tires as his paintings did not appeal to the public. In 1957, he created an iconic piece for his oeuvre, "Still Life with Mandolin," which he subsequently repeated in various variations. In this still life, Botero's signature style with exaggerated forms became evident for the first time. While his artistic manner had previously undergone constant changes, it remained consistent for decades from that point onward. In the same year, the painter had a solo exhibition in the United States. Later, his works started selling at a gallery in Washington, and he lived in New York for an extended period.

Fernando Botero. Still Life with Mandolin, 1998

The next significant stage in his creative biography was 1976 when Fernando Botero moved to Paris and dedicated himself to bronze sculpture. His sculptural works now adorn the Champs-Élysées in Paris, Park Avenue in New York, and other famous streets and squares in world capitals. The uniqueness of his voluminous forms reveals influences from Neolithic Venuses, ancient Egyptian sphinxes, and the art of indigenous American peoples.

Fernando Botero. Cat, 1990

Fernando Botero. Lying woman, 2007

Currently, at 91 years old, the artist and sculptor continues to work actively. He is highly successful, with several studios across European and American cities. Exhibitions of his works open in various corners of the world every month. In total, the author has created about 3,000 paintings and 200 sculptures. Many of these can be seen in the Botero Museum in Bogotá. The same museum houses works from the master's personal collection:

• Auguste Renoir.
• Pierre Bonnard.
• Marc Chagall.
• Pablo Picasso.
• Salvador Dalí.

Fernando Botero now lives with his third wife, Greek artist Sofia Vari. In his two previous marriages, he became the father of four children.

Fernando Botero. Woman with cigarette, 1995

Fernando Botero. Still Life in front of a Balcony, 2000

The Most Famous Paintings of Fernando Botero

Fernando Botero's paintings are distinguished by vibrant colors and clear lines, characteristic of Latin American visual art. However, their main feature is exaggerated proportions, which are observed in both paintings and sculptures. Audiences refer to the characters of this artist as "chubby," while he himself speaks of magical sensual volumes, forgotten by contemporary artists. Here are several of Botero's most famous works:

• "Mona Lisa at the Age of Twelve" (1959). One of numerous parodies of Renaissance and Baroque masterpieces. This painting became the author's first work acquired by MoMA in New York.
• "Bird of Peace" (1990). The sculpture adorned San Antonio Square in Medellín but was destroyed by a terrorist explosion in 1995. After several years, Fernando Botero created an exact replica and gifted it to the city once again.
• "Abu Ghraib" (2005). The artist created an extensive series of works dedicated to the brutal treatment of prisoners at the Abu Ghraib prison by American soldiers.
• "Death of Pablo Escobar" (2006). During Escobar's time, the crime rate in the artist's hometown was one of the highest in the world. It was during this time that the bombing at the "Bird" statue occurred. After the death of the drug lord, the crime rate in Medellín decreased by 70%.

Fernando Botero. Mona Lisa at the age of twelve, 1959

Fernando Botero. Bird, 1990

Fernando Botero. Abu Ghraib, 2005

Fernando Botero. Death of Pablo Escobar, 2006

Paintings and graphics by Fernando Botero are often exhibited at thematic auctions. Participating in them is convenient through the Very Important Lot portal. Here, art enthusiasts acquire works of art by Russian and foreign masters, as well as antique masterpieces. On the website, you can always purchase paintings from talented contemporary artists directly and affordably.