Botero

Fernando Botero Angulo (1932–2023) was a Colombian painter and sculptor whose figures and objects are rendered with exaggerated volume. Botero’s signature style, often called boterismo, features thick, rounded forms that emphasize mass while keeping a coherent sense of anatomy. He worked across painting, sculpture, drawing, and installation, and his subjects range from intimate family scenes to far-ranging social and political commentary.

Born in Medellín, Botero studied at the Universidad de Antioquia and began exhibiting in Colombia in the 1950s. He spent extended periods in Europe and Latin America, developing a distinctive vocabulary in which everyday life, power, and culture are refracted through inflated proportion and a calm, ironic distance. His colors are vivid, and his compositions favor broad, curving shapes that invite close inspection.

Botero’s work is held in major museums around the world. In Medellín, a group of his monumental sculptures is installed in Plaza Botero, creating a public landmark. In Bogotá, the Museo Botero houses a substantial portion of his paintings and drawings, formed in large part from a donation by the artist. The museum also hosts temporary exhibitions and educational programs.

Botero is regarded as one of the most recognizable figures in Latin American modern art. His work has influenced contemporary painters and sculptors, and his pieces have been the subject of extensive scholarly discussion regarding themes of abundance, power, and social critique. He received numerous honors and his art is included in major collections internationally.