Fernando Botero, a major figure in modern and contemporary art, is one of the most recognized Colombian artists, both in Latin America and globally. With a distinctive and recognizable style, Botero has earned a prominent place in 20th and 21st-century art history. His works, whether paintings or sculptures, are highly sought after by collectors of modern and contemporary art, and his recognition extends to major galleries, museums, and private collections worldwide.

Born in 1932 in Medellín, Colombia, Botero was raised by his mother and uncle in a traditional Colombian environment. Initially trained in a bullfighting school, he quickly abandoned the red cape and the tercio de piques in favor of the paintbrush. Inspired by pre-Columbian and Spanish art, Botero pursued a career as an artist.

At the age of just 16, in 1948, Botero published his first drawings in a local newspaper. These works were influenced by the murals of Mexican artists Diego Rivera and José Clemente Orozco. Seeking new experiences, Botero moved to the capital, Bogotá, where he presented his first exhibition and sold his first paintings. With the proceeds, he traveled to Europe in 1952, embarking on an artistic journey: studying the Spanish masters at the Prado Museum, discovering the old masters at the Louvre, and learning the art of fresco painting in Florence. Upon his return to Colombia, his travel-inspired works were met with criticism, forcing him to take a job selling tires to survive. After marrying in 1956, he regained inspiration, and in 1957, he perfected his style with Still Life with Mandolin, featuring exaggerated volumes. Despite remaining misunderstood, Botero continued his travels, exhibiting in New York, collaborating with Vogue Paris to illustrate haute couture collections, settling in Pietrasanta, Italy, and finally relocating to Paris in 1973, where he began working on sculpture alongside his paintings.

Known for his exaggerated proportions, Botero uses monumentality as a means of expressing emotions toward his subjects. His works convey varying moods: tenderness in his female figures, humor in his brothel scenes, and sharp political commentary, such as in his 2004 series on the treatment of prisoners at Abu Ghraib by the U.S. military. Despite the roundness of his figures, Botero’s works always exude a sense of lightness.

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