Medellín's Greatest Son
Botero & Boterismo
How a kid from Medellín became the world's most recognizable — and most memed — artist.
Medellín's Greatest Son
How a kid from Medellín became the world's most recognizable — and most memed — artist.
The Origin
Fernando Botero was born in Medellín in 1932. His uncle enrolled him in a school for matadors, but the young Botero was more interested in drawing the bulls than fighting them. By his teens, he was selling sketches in the streets and by 20, he'd won a national salon prize.
He studied in Madrid, Florence, and Paris, absorbing the Old Masters. Then he developed something entirely his own: an exaggerated, volumetric style that would become known worldwide as Boterismo.
The Style
Boterismo isn't about depicting "fat" people. Botero inflated everything — people, animals, fruit, guitars, entire cities. The effect creates a world of exaggerated abundance, simultaneously humorous and monumental.
His voluptuous forms turned everyday scenes — a family picnic, a presidential portrait, a still life — into something surreal and instantly recognizable. No other living artist achieved such universal visual recognition.
Internet Culture
Botero's paintings went viral in the 2010s when his "Pope Leo X (after Raphael)" became the legendary "Y Tho" meme — a rotund pope with a passive expression captioned with existential one-liners. Meanwhile, his Madonna and Child painting became "Snart" on Tumblr, remixed endlessly.
These memes introduced Botero to millions of people who'd never set foot in a museum — arguably the most effective art democratization project in history. Botero himself reportedly found the whole thing amusing.
The Plaza
In Medellín's historic center, next to the Museo de Antioquia, stands Plaza Botero — an open-air gallery of 23 massive bronze sculptures that Botero donated to his hometown. Fat birds, reclining women, a Roman soldier, a hand, a horse — all in Botero's unmistakable style, free for anyone to walk among and photograph.
It's become one of Colombia's most-visited landmarks and an essential stop for anyone exploring Medellín's art scene.
Years of Life
Plaza Sculptures
Iconic Memes
Unforgettable Style