Fernando Botero, Colombian artist known for voluminous figures, dies at 91 in Monaco

Fernando Botero, the Colombian painter and sculptor celebrated for his distinctive style of exaggerated, rounded forms, died in Monaco at age 91. Born on April 19, 1932 in Medellín, Colombia, Botero's instantly recognizable aesthetic applied to all subjects—from political figures and religious scenes to animals and childhood memories. His work ranged from reinterpretations of Raphael's Pope Leo X to depictions of Abu Ghraib prison victims, maintaining consistent formal qualities across diverse contexts. Botero once explained that artistic attraction to certain forms is intuitive, with rationalization coming later. Before achieving international fame through his paintings and sculptures, he worked as a set designer and newspaper illustrator. In his youth, he briefly attended bullfighting school, a subject he later frequently painted alongside circus scenes. His plump, voluminous figures became his signature, making him one of Latin America's most widely recognized artists.