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Fernando Botero’s Voluptuous Sculptures Take Over Rome’s Historic Center

By Jessica Stewart on July 24, 2024

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Nearly one year after Fernando Botero's death, his sculptures are visible in Italy. His daughter Lina organized an open-air exhibition, which sees eight of the Colombian artist's sculptures placed in some of Rome's most picturesque public squares. Known for his unique style that plays with volume, his voluptuous sculptures remain on view until October.

Botero a Roma only solidifies the relationship between the artist and Italy, whose relatives emigrated to Colombia at the end of the 18th century. The artist himself first visited Italy in the 1950s after winning an art competition and, in the 1980s, established a workshop in Tuscany, where he spent several months a year.

“Rome, the Eternal City: I can't think of anything that would make my father—Fernando Botero—happier than to see his monumental sculpture on display in the heart of this extraordinary city, the capital of the country he loved and that influenced his work,” stated Lina during the opening of the exhibition.

“For all intents and purposes, Italy was his second home, not only for his admiration for its art but also for the love he felt for a place he considered his homeland.”

The sculptures on show range from his curvaceous depictions of women to monumental animals with soft, round edges. Visible until October 1, they will be complemented by an exhibition of his paintings set to open in Rome on September 17. Also curated by Lina, the retrospective will feature his paintings, watercolors, and several sculptures.