Fernando Botero, the most renowned Colombian painter and sculptor in history, died this Friday, September 15, 2023, at the age of 91.
Colombian media reported that the artist passed away in Monaco after pneumonia required him to be treated in a hospital in northern Italy, where he had been residing for decades.
His wife, the artist Sophia Vari, passed away five months ago.
Botero’s works, which have been auctioned for up to $2 million, have circled the globe. His paintings, characterized by corpulent figures, are displayed in the most important museums around the world. His sculptures have adorned streets and squares in major capitals, including Madrid, Paris, London, and Rome.
His aesthetic is so distinctive that it is part of the collective imagination beyond the art world.
President Gustavo Petro and former President Juan Manuel Santos have issued their condolences.
The city of Medellín declared seven days of mourning, and events in tribute to the local artist will begin this very Friday.
Who was Fernando Botero?
Botero was born on April 19, 1932, in Medellín, the second-largest city in Colombia.
His father, David, was a merchant from the countryside who died at the age of 40. His mother, Flora Angulo, passed away in 1972.
Different biographies of the artist have reported that although he was not raised in a religious family, his first contact with art was through religion, a crucial aspect of Antioquian society at the time.
In Medellin in the first half of the 20th century, there were more stained glass windows in churches than museums.
In fact, today the Museum of Antioquia, the most important in the city, dedicates a significant part of its collection to the so-called master. Botero was one of the most important supporters of the institution, which is located in front of Plaza Botero.
The sculptor distinguished himself by creating works of art for nearly 75 years. In recent years, he crafted his pieces from his residence in Pietrasanta, Italy. There, he worked on watercolors, which had become his most recent passion.
