Discover the career path of Fernando Botero, from the first major opportunity to industry-changing achievements.
Fernando Botero was a renowned Colombian artist and sculptor celebrated for his distinctive "Boterismo" style. This style features figures and objects depicted with exaggerated volume, often carrying elements of political commentary or humor. As Latin America's most recognized artist during his life, his works have been exhibited in prominent locations globally, including Park Avenue and the Champs-Élysées. Botero's art is characterized by its unique aesthetic and cultural significance.
In 1948, Botero's work was first exhibited in a group show alongside other artists from the region.
In 1948, at the age of 16, Botero had his first illustrations published in El Colombiano, a major newspaper in Medellín, and used the money to attend high school.
From 1949 to 1950, Botero worked as a set designer, before moving to Bogotá in 1951.
From 1949 to 1950, Botero worked as a set designer, before moving to Bogotá in 1951.
In 1951, Botero moved to Bogotá and held his first one-man show at the Galería Leo Matiz shortly after his arrival.
During 1956, Botero had exhibitions in both Washington D.C. and Mexico City, receiving little critical acclaim despite good sales.
During 1958, Botero had exhibitions in both Washington D.C. and Mexico City, receiving little critical acclaim despite good sales.
In 1958, Botero gained national prominence by winning first prize at the Salón de Artistas Colombianos.
In 1958, Botero won the ninth edition of the Salón de Artistas Colombianos, marking an important achievement in his career.
In 1961, Botero's reputation improved after the New York Museum of Modern Art (MOMA) acquired his painting, Mona Lisa, Age Twelve.
Around 1964, Botero made his first attempts to create sculptures using acrylic resin and sawdust due to financial constraints.
In 1964, Botero created the painting Pope Leo X, which became a popular internet meme.
In 1973, Botero moved to Paris and began creating sculptures, marking a new phase in his artistic career.
In 1977, Botero exhibited his characteristic bronze sculptures for the first time at the Grand Palais in Paris.
Botero created painting Los Músicos in 1979. It became the cover illustration for Mario Vargas Llosa's 2023 novel Le dedico mi silencio
Botero's series of drawings and paintings created between 1999 and 2004 dealt with the violence in Colombia.
In November 2000, Botero provided insights on his stylistic development, including the painting of enlarged figures, which became his trademark.
During an interview in November 2000 with the Los Angeles Times, Botero recounted how he lost the money he earned from selling his first painting.
In 2000, Botero donated 123 pieces of his work and 85 pieces from his personal collection to the Museo Botero in Bogotá, as well as 119 pieces to the Museum of Antioquia, including 23 bronze sculptures for Botero Plaza.
In 2003, Botero painted a composition for Maternity, which he would repeat in 2006.
In 2004, Botero exhibited a series of 27 drawings and 23 paintings dealing with the violence in Colombia from 1999 through 2004, and donated the works to the National Museum of Colombia.
In 2006, after focusing on the Abu Ghraib series, Botero returned to themes of his early life, such as family and motherhood, in his art.
In 2007, the Abu Ghraib series was exhibited at two United States locations, including Washington, DC. Botero said he would donate the works to museums.
In 2008, Botero exhibited the works of his The Circus collection, featuring 20 works in oil and watercolor.
In 2009, the Berkeley Art Museum acquired 56 paintings and drawings from Botero's Abu Ghraib series as a gift from the artist.
In a 2010 interview, Botero said he was ready for other subjects and would return to the simplest things: still lifes.
In 2016, Botero sculpted and donated La paloma de la paz to the Government of Colombia to commemorate the signing and ratification of the peace agreement.
In 2023, Mario Vargas Llosa's novel Le dedico mi silencio uses Botero's 1979 painting Los músicos as its cover illustration.
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