born April 19, 1932, Medellín, Colom.
Colombian painter and sculptor.
He began painting as a teenager. By the time he moved to New York City in 1960, he had developed his trademark style: the depiction of round, corpulent humans and animals. In these works, his use of flat, bright colour and boldly outlined forms reflected the influence of Latin American folk art, while his strong compositions often emulated the Old Masters. In 1973 Botero moved to Paris and began creating sculptures that again focused on rotund subjects. Successful outdoor exhibitions of his monumental bronze figures were staged around the world at the end of the 20th century.