Rago Auctions

Born in Medellín, Colombia in 1932, artist Fernando Botero Angulo faced challenges after losing his father at a young age. Nonetheless, he developed an early passion for art, influenced by the colonial Baroque architecture of Medellín and later by the Old Masters of Europe. Botero's formal, artistic education began in Madrid, where he supported himself by copying famous works from the Prado Museum. By the 1950s, Botero had developed his signature style, dubbed "Boterismo," which emphasized voluminous proportions, and he quickly gained recognition for both his paintings and sculpture. Botero became especially associated with his exaggerated female figures.

In 1958, Botero won first prize at the Salón de Artistas Colombianos. Subsequently, Botero's career took him around the world, from Bogotá to New York City, Paris, and beyond. He began creating sculpture in the 1970s and continued exhibiting extensively. Botero achieved international acclaim in the 1990s for his monumental works, establishing himself as a global artistic force. Many of his compositions, such as the 2005 Abu Ghraib series and depictions of Colombia's violent history, and contemporary drug culture, reflected his social and political consciousness. He was particularly recognized for his ability to combine satire and commentary with the aesthetic of inflated forms, offering both humor and critique through his art.

A dedicated philanthropist, Botero made significant contributions to museums in Colombia, donating hundreds of his works and pieces from his personal collection to institutions in Bogotá and Medellín. Despite spending much of his life abroad, he remained deeply connected to his homeland. Botero passed away in 2023, leaving behind a legacy of artistic innovation, cultural impact, and public engagement through his distinctive artistic style. Today, Botero's works are included in a range of notable private and public collections, for instance, the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York, Museo d'Arte Moderna del Vaticano in Rome, Museum Moderne Kunst in Vienna, and the Ho-am Museum in Seoul. Large-form sculptures of people and animals also grace public spaces in not only Botero's native Colombia but cities across the world.