This Friday, September 15, maestro Fernando Botero Angulo died in Monaco at the age of 91 after health complications. The most important painter in Colombia and unique in the world for his work characterized by large paintings and sculptures that are distributed throughout the world, he recently passed away, leaving an invaluable artistic legacy.
Botero was born on April 19, 1932 in the city of Medellín, being the second son of David Botero and Flora Angulo. From an early age, he showed interest in art, beginning his primary education at the Ateneo Antioqueño and continuing his secondary studies at the Bolivariana. However, his life took an unexpected turn when, influenced by an uncle, he ventured into bullfighting in La Macarena in Medellín.
Despite his brief time in bullfighting, it was in painting where Botero found his true passion. In 1948, he held his first exhibition in Medellín, with the support of his family. To finance his studies, he collaborated with illustrations for the local newspaper “El Colombiano”. However, his illustrations and his free artistic expression led him to face academic conflicts, and he was expelled from Colegio Bolivariano.
Throughout his life, Botero was a tireless traveler, visiting sculpture workshops in Italy and devoting time to painting in cities such as Paris, New York and Monte Carlo. Additionally, he found inspiration in places like Zihuatanejo, Mexico and Rionegro, Colombia.
In 1951, he moved to Bogotá, where he established contacts with prominent Colombian intellectuals and held two solo exhibitions that launched his career. A year later, he traveled to Europe, studying at the Royal Academy of Art of San Fernando in Madrid and finding inspiration in Italian Renaissance art.
Upon his return to Colombia in 1955, he faced mixed reviews about his European-influenced work, but was not discouraged. In 1956, he married Gloria Zea and together they traveled to Mexico City, where Botero was influenced by local artists and developed his unique artistic style, characterized by an emphasis on volume and form.
In 1958, Botero returned to Bogotá and was appointed professor at the School of Fine Arts of the National University of Colombia. During this period, he faced criticism and controversy, but also achieved recognition for his work “La Camara degli sposi (Homage to Mantegna).”
Throughout his career, Botero had multiple exhibitions in different countries, including the United States, Europe and Colombia. His work was widely recognized and valued, and in 1976 he donated sixteen works to the Museum of Antioquia, being honored with a room dedicated to his deceased son, Pedrito Botero.
In addition to his work in painting, Botero dabbled in sculpture starting in the 1970s, primarily using bronze and Carrara marble.
In 2012, several tributes were held in honor of the eightieth anniversary of the renowned Colombian painter Fernando Botero. These celebrations included exhibitions of his work in museums in various cities, highlighting his significant contribution to the art world. The Colombian government also recognized the cultural importance of his work by declaring that 479 of his works were of “national cultural interest.”
In 2013, Fernando Botero presented the collection called “Boterosutra”, and in 2015, another collection titled “santas”, continuing his prolific artistic career and exploring new themes in his characteristic style.
Furthermore, between the months of November 2015 and April 2016, China was the scene of an important retrospective dedicated to the Colombian artist. This exhibition allowed Chinese viewers and international visitors to appreciate Botero’s vast and diverse oeuvre throughout his career.
Fernando Botero, known for his unique and distinctive style, has left a lasting mark on the art world through his extensive work and his contribution to Colombian and global artistic culture.