Artists have used oil paints for several years and oil paintings continue to be a worldwide phenomenon due to their quality and versatility. Established individual artists have their favorite mediums, palettes and brushes. Oil painting gives people the opportunity to experiment with different colors and techniques.
Fernando Botero
Colombian artist and sculptor Fernando Botero is well known for his signature style that is commonly referred to as Boterismo. It is characterized by depictions of figures and people in exaggerated and large sizes. Depending on the type of piece, his work represented aspects of political humor or criticism. He is regarded as the most globally recognized Latin American artist with his enduring quotes. His art has been displayed in different parts of the world, including France and North America.
Artistic Career
Botero participated in a group show with other artists in the region and his work was initially showcased in 1948. Over the years he traveled extensively and his first solo exhibit at a gallery was in 1952. After moving to Paris in 1953, he spent a lot of time studying the works in Louvre. He studies the Renaissance works while living in Italy.
Botero has lived most of his life in Paris during the recent decades and incorporates yearly visits to his native Medellin city. With over 50 exhibits on cities around the world, his valuable pieces attract high prices and willing buyers. He has received several accolades that acknowledge his mastery of art and sculpture along with the significant contribution he has made to abstract expressionism.
Painting Style
- Fernando Botero’s work includes landscapes and still-lifes but his main area of focus has been situation portraiture. Visit Botero oil paintings website
- Proportionally exaggerated figures are conspicuous in his oil paintings and sculptures. Botero’s critics typically refer to these figures as large people and the artist has explained his use of the characters. He rationalizes his style as the tendency of artists being drawn to certain forms without being aware of why they are attracted to them.
- According to Botero, artists adopt positions instinctively and may be able to justify or explain their choices in the future.
Abstract Art and Political Commentary
- Botero is fundamentally an abstract artist who chooses proportions, shapes and colors intuitively and aesthetically. Although he spends a minimal amount of time in Colombia, he describes himself as ultimately Colombian by setting himself apart from international artistic trends.
- He exhibited a number of painting and drawings in 2004 that dealt with drug-based violence in his country. The works were donated to Colombia’s national museum, where they were initially exhibited.
- Botero’s Abu Gharib series gained a lot of attention in 2005 when it was first exhibited in Europe. The works were based on reports that highlighted the abuse of Abu Gharib prisoners by United States forces during the war in Iraq. This concept was explored in more than 80 paintings.
Returning to Earlier Themes
- After focusing exclusively on Abu Gharib for more than a year, Botero carried on with his early life themes of maternity and the family.
- The Colombian family was represented in Une Famille.
- Botero repeated his 2003 maternity composition in 2006 with the inclusion of religious significance that was previously absent.
- His circus collection was exhibited in 2008 and featured oil works.
Botero has always been ready to delve into other subjects with an imminent return to still lifes.
