Modern & Contemporary Art

Provenance:

James Goodman Gallery, New York

Acquired from the above by the present owner in 2007

Lot Note:

Fernando Botero's (Colombian, 1932-2023) distinctive style is characterized by volumetric, over-sized shapes with unexpected shifts in scale. Drawing from art historical themes that range from the Middle Ages to modern trends, his large cast of characters forms one of the most unique bodies of work in 20th and 21st century-art. Botero's interest in art began in Colombia, where he was exposed to pre-Columbian and Spanish colonial art. He later traveled to Europe, where he encountered the work of the Old Masters and the avant-garde art of Picasso and Braque, influencing his signature style of monumental, smoothly rounded figures and inflated shapes. Botero's dedication to the expression of volume and mass led to the translation of his oversized images on canvas into sculpture, producing enormous bronze figures and animals. His sculptures, like his paintings, possess a simplicity and dimension that can be linked to pre-Columbian works. Botero has modernized his sculpture in its subject matter, representing tangible volume in monumental form. He distills the essence of shape and volume, celebrating strength and vigor. "I like to create something that is more than just a representation, something that is alive, something that has a presence," Botero said. "I want my sculptures to be a presence in the space, to have a life of their own."