Before anything else, I started painting bulls and matadors. That was my initiation to paint. Fernando Botero bullinitiationmatador Change image and share on social
I follow politics very closely. I read several newspapers every day. Fernando Botero closelydayfollow Change image and share on social
I'm the most Colombian of the Colombians, even though I've lived 47 years outside of Colombia. I've lived 13 years in New York, and I never did a painting about New York. I've lived in France more than 30 years, and I've never painted Paris. Fernando Botero colombiacolombianfrance share on social
Bullfights have so much color. Not just the matador but also the bull, the arena, and the public. It's all very festive. Fernando Botero arenabullbullfight Change image and share on social
I believe that it's better to have a conviction, believe strongly in something, and then the convictions create a style that reflects your mentality. Fernando Botero convictioncreatementality Change image and share on social
All my life, my girlfriends are always skinny. Beauty in art has nothing to do with beauty in reality. Why do you like primitive art? Because there is beauty in the deformity. Sometimes paintings that people consider realistic are not at all. Raphael figures look realistic, but in real life, they were deformed. Fernando Botero artbeautydeform share on social
An artist is born like a priest is born. If they are born an artist, I would tell them art is not a game: it is something very serious which completely requires everything you have to give. Fernando Botero artartistbear Change image and share on social
Art is important because when people start to forget, art reminds them what happened. Like 'Guernica.' People would not remember the tragedy of Guernica today if it were not for that painting. Fernando Botero artforgetguernica Change image and share on social
People say, 'What a discipline, painting so much.' I say, 'No, I love it.' Nothing amuses me as much as my work. To have discipline would be not to paint. Fernando Botero amusedisciplinelove Change image and share on social
Bullfights are a very cultural thing. I know many people think it's cruel, but so many things are cruel. Hunting, the electric chair, wars. These are all cruel things as well. Fernando Botero bullfightchaircruel Change image and share on social