30 Facts About Fernando Botero

Fernando Botero Angulo was born on 19 April 1932 and is a Colombian figurative artist and sculptor, born in Medellin.

Fernando Botero is considered the most recognized and quoted living artist from Latin America, and his art can be found in highly visible places around the world, such as Park Avenue in New York City and the Champs-Elysees in Paris.

Self-titled "the most Colombian of Colombian artists" early on, Botero came to national prominence when he won the first prize at the Salon de Artistas Colombianos in 1958.

Fernando Botero began creating sculptures after moving to Paris in 1973, achieving international recognition with exhibitions around the world by the 1990s.

Fernando Botero's art is collected by many major international museums, corporations, and private collectors.

Fernando Botero was born as the second of three sons of David Botero and Flora Angulo in 1932.

Fernando Botero received his primary education in Antioquia Ateneo and, thanks to a scholarship, he continued his secondary education at the Jesuit School of Bolivar.

In 1944, Fernando Botero's uncle sent him to a school for matadors for two years.

Fernando Botero used the money he was paid to attend high school at the Liceo de Marinilla de Antioquia.

Fernando Botero's work was first exhibited in 1948, in a group show along with other artists from the region.

From 1949 to 1950, Fernando Botero worked as a set designer, before moving to Bogota in 1951.

In 1952, Fernando Botero travelled with a group of artists to Barcelona, where he stayed briefly before moving on to Madrid.

In Madrid, Botero studied at the Academia de San Fernando.

In 1953, Fernando Botero moved to Paris, where he spent most of his time in the Louvre, studying the works there.

Fernando Botero lived in Florence, Italy from 1953 to 1954, studying the works of Renaissance masters.

Fernando Botero has had more than 50 exhibitions in major cities worldwide, and his work commands selling prices in the millions of dollars.

In 2004, Fernando Botero exhibited a series of 27 drawings and 23 paintings dealing with the violence in Colombia from 1999 through 2004.

Fernando Botero donated the works to the National Museum of Colombia, where they were first exhibited.

In 2005, Fernando Botero gained considerable attention for his Abu Ghraib series, which was exhibited first in Europe.

Fernando Botero based the works on reports of United States forces' abuses of prisoners at Abu Ghraib prison during the Iraq War.

Fernando Botero said he would not sell any of the works, but would donate them to museums.

In 2006, after having focused exclusively on the Abu Ghraib series for over 14 months, Fernando Botero returned to the themes of his early life such as the family and maternity.

Fernando Botero explains his use of these "large people", as they are often called by critics, in the following way:.

Between 1963 and 1964, Fernando Botero attempted to create sculptures.

However, the material was too porous, and Fernando Botero decided to abandon this method.

Fernando Botero has donated several artworks to museums in Bogota and his hometown, Medellin.

In 2000, Fernando Botero donated to the Museo Fernando Botero in Bogota 123 pieces of his work and 85 pieces from his personal collection, including works by Chagall, Picasso, Robert Rauschenberg, and the French impressionists.

Fernando Botero donated 119 pieces to the Museum of Antioquia.

Fernando Botero married Gloria Zea, who became the director of the Colombian Institute of Culture.

Fernando Botero's 1964 painting Pope Leo X has found a second life as a popular internet meme.