Fernando Botero Biography, Wife, Children, Career

Fernando Botero was a Colombian artist who became famous for his paintings and sculptures of inflated human and animal shapes -read his biography below.

His distinctive style, known as “Boterismo”, was a unique expression of his vision and humor, as well as a commentary on the social and political issues of his time. 

In this article, we will explore the life and biography of Fernando Botero, his influences and inspirations, his family and personal life, and his legacy and impact on the world of art.

Fernando Botero Biography

Early Life and Education

Fernando Botero was born on April 19, 1932, in Medellín, Colombia, the second of three sons of David Botero, a traveling salesman, and Flora Angulo, a seamstress.

His father died of a heart attack when he was four years old, and his mother struggled to support the family. 

He was raised by his uncle, who enrolled him in a school for matadors when he was 12. He showed an interest in art from an early age, drawing cartoons and illustrations for local newspapers and magazines. 

He also visited the colonial churches of Medellín, where he admired the Baroque paintings and sculptures.

When he was 16, he had his first solo exhibition at the Leo Matiz Gallery in Bogotá, where he sold his paintings for a modest sum.

He used the money to travel to Europe in 1952, where he studied the works of the Old Masters at the Prado Museum in Madrid, the Louvre Museum in Paris, and the Uffizi Gallery in Florence. 

Botero was particularly influenced by the Spanish painters Diego Velázquez and Francisco de Goya, whose portraits and compositions he copied and sold to tourists. He also discovered the modern art movements of Cubism, Expressionism, and Surrealism, which opened his eyes to new possibilities of form and color.

Artistic Career and Style

Botero returned to Colombia in 1955, where he won the first prize at the Salón de Artistas Colombianos, a national art competition. 

He moved to New York in 1960, where he developed his signature style of painting rotund figures with exaggerated proportions. 

He said that he was inspired by a mandolin he saw in a shop window, which reminded him of the roundness of his childhood memories. He also said that he wanted to create a sense of monumentality and solidity in his paintings, as well as a sense of humor and irony.

Botero’s subjects ranged from everyday scenes of Colombian life, such as families, couples, musicians, dancers, bullfighters, and priests, to historical and political events, such as the death of Pablo Escobar, the Colombian drug lord; the Abu Ghraib prison abuse scandal; and the violence and corruption in Latin America. 

He also painted famous figures from art history, such as Mona Lisa, Napoleon Bonaparte, Adam and Eve, and Pope Leo X. He often used bright colors and flat backgrounds to contrast with the voluminous forms of his characters.

Fernando Botero also ventured into sculpture in 1973, when he moved to Paris. 

He used bronze, marble, iron, and steel to create three-dimensional versions of his paintings. 

He placed his sculptures in public spaces around the world, such as Park Avenue in New York City; Champs-Élysées in Paris; Paseo de la Reforma in Mexico City; Piazza della Signoria in Florence; Rambla del Raval in Barcelona and many others.

Botero’s sculptures were also characterized by their large size and weight, which added to their presence and impact. Some of his most famous sculptures include The Hand (1976), The Horse (1989), The Dancers (1987), The Bird (1990), Woman with Fruit (1991), Roman Soldier (1992), and Cat (1994).

Fernando Botero Wife and Children

The late Colombian painter was married twice and had four children. 

The first wife of Fernando Botero was Gloria Zea, a Colombian cultural leader and former minister of culture, whom he married in 1958 and divorced in 1974. 

Fernando Botero and Gloria Zea had three children: Fernando, Lina, and Juan Carlos Botero. 

Fernando Jr. became a filmmaker, Lina became a curator and art dealer, and Juan Carlos became a writer.

His second wife was Sophia Vari, a Greek sculptor, whom he married in 1978. They lived in Monte Carlo, Monaco, where they had a son, Pedro. 

Pedro died in a car accident in 1974, when he was four years old. Botero dedicated many of his paintings and sculptures to his memory.

Botero was also a philanthropist and a collector of art. He donated hundreds of his works and works by other artists to museums in Colombia, such as the Botero Museum in Bogotá and the Museum of Antioquia in Medellín. He also supported various social and educational causes in his country.

Botero died on September 15, 2023, at the age of 91, in Monte Carlo. 

Lina Botero told the Colombian radio station Caracol that her father died Friday morning in Monaco of pneumonia complications.

He was mourned by his family, friends, fans, and fellow artists around the world.

Fernando Botero biography – Legacy and Impact

Botero was one of the most recognized and influential artists of the 20th and 21st centuries. His distinctive style of painting and sculpture made him a global icon of Latin American art and culture. 

His works were exhibited in major museums and galleries around the world, such as the Museum of Modern Art in New York; the Guggenheim Museum in New York; the Hirshhorn Museum and Sculpture Garden in Washington, D.C.; the Art Institute of Chicago; the Los Angeles County Museum of Art; the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art; the Tate Gallery in London; the Centre Pompidou in Paris; the Reina Sofía Museum in Madrid; the Vatican Museums in Rome; the Hermitage Museum in St. Petersburg; the National Palace Museum in Taipei; the National Gallery of Australia in Canberra; and many others.

Fernando Botero also received numerous awards and honors for his artistic achievements, such as the Gold Medal of Honor from Colombia (1981); the Legion of Honor from France (1983); the Prince of Asturias Award from Spain (1992); the Visionary Award from the Kennedy Center in Washington, D.C. (1997); the Lifetime Achievement Award from the International Sculpture Center (2012); and many others.

Botero’s influence can be seen in many contemporary artists who have adopted or adapted his style of voluminous art, such as Jeff Koons, Yue Minjun, Takashi Murakami, Romero Britto, Niki de Saint Phalle, Jim Dine, Claes Oldenburg, Red Grooms, Duane Hanson, Ron Mueck, Maurizio Cattelan, Damien Hirst, Banksy, KAWS, Mr. Brainwash, Shepard Fairey, Invader, and many others.

Botero’s works also inspired many cultural expressions and references, such as films, books, music, cartoons, video games, and memes.

Fernando Botero was a Colombian artist who created a unique style of painting and sculpture that depicted people and animals in large, exaggerated volumes. 

His works were a reflection of his vision and humor, as well as a commentary on the social and political issues of his time. He was one of the most recognized and influential artists of the 20th and 21st centuries. 

He left behind a legacy of art that enriched the world with its beauty and meaning.

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