Fernando Botero, a Colombian artist who was one of the most respected and popular artists in the world, died Friday in Monaco. He was known for his lavish depictions of bloated generals, bishops, prostitutes, housewives and other characters drawn from his vivid imagination through his art.
According to his daughter Lina, the 91-year-old artist, who lived in Monaco, died of pneumonia. The death was first revealed on social media by Colombian President Gustavo Petro. He was described as “the painter of our traditions and our faults, the painter of our virtues” by the President.
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Who was Fernando Botero?
Botero’s early life
Fernando Botero Angulo was born in the Colombian city of Medell on April 19, 1932. When he was a small child, his father died, but his uncle supported him for two years as he pursued his dream of becoming a matador, enrolled him in a Jesuit high school and encouraged his creative efforts. He was always an enthusiast of bullfighting and bullfight scenes appear in some of his earlier works. Mr. Botero was expelled from his Jesuit school for expressing what were considered “irreligious” thoughts in an article titled Pablo Picasso and Nonconformity in Art.
The rise of Botero and the Boterismo movement
The path that led Botero to international fame was neither quick nor easy. Botero first achieved widespread success in 1962, following his first exhibition at the Milwaukee Art Center in Wisconsin, USA. Botero’s distinctive style, known as Boterismo, spread throughout the world. Contrary to common misconception, Botero explicitly stated that his paintings were about “volumes” rather than “chubby figures”. His work was a play of proportions and a ballet of dimensions that fascinated spectators around the world. His paintings and sculptures, each a monument to his mastery of form and color, have found their way to several countries.
Philatophe and source of inspiration for many
An avid art collector, Botero donated part of his collection to a museum in his hometown of Medellin in 2000. He has interpreted works of art by Caravaggio, Titian and van Gogh in some of his creations. A documentary by Don Miller, entitled “Botero, una ricerca senza finish”, which highlights the life and work of the artist, was released in April 2022.
Fernando Botero’s marriage and children
Gloria Zea was the first wife of Fernando Botero. In 1955, the couple married and had three children. Botero remained in New York for a time after their divorce in 1960. In 1964, Fernando married Cecilia Zambrano. However, in 1974, she and Fernando welcomed a son into the world. Unfortunately, their son died in an accident in 1979. Fernando and Cecilia divorced in 2004, but the cause of their separation was never made public.
Later, in 1978, Fernando exchanged vows with Sophia Vari and they continued to commute between Paris and Monte Carlo while residing in both cities. Sophia was also an artist, but she died in May this year after a long battle with ovarian cancer.
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