Fernando Botero (b. 1933)

James Goodman Gallery, New York
Galería Fernando Pradilla, Madrid
Private Collection, Miami

Marcel Paquet, Botero: Philosophie de la Création, Belgium, 1985, p. 84, no. 55, illustrated
Giorgio Soavi, Botero, Milan, 1988, p. 211, no. 188, illustrated in color
Giorgio Soavi, Fernando Botero: Oeuvres 1959-1989, Paris, 1990, no. 90, illustrated in color

Edward J. Sullivan and Jean-Mari Tasset, Botero: Monograph & Catalogue Raisonné: Paintings 1975-1990,  Switzerland, 2000, p. 357, no. 1984/22, illustrated

This painting is in beautiful condition. The canvas is unlined and well stretched. The paint layer is clean and stable. In the red section in the center of the right side there are very slight waves but these are not disturbing and should not be corrected. Under ultraviolet light there are two retouches, one in the side of the ochre colored house addressing a small scratch, approximately half an inch long and another between the legs of the horse on the left side in the pink wall. Overall the condition is excellent and the picture should be hung as is. (This condition report has been provided courtesy of Simon Parkes Art Conservation, Inc.)
In response to your inquiry, we are pleased to provide you with a general report of the condition of the property described above. Since we are not professional conservators or restorers, we urge you to consult with a restorer or conservator of your choice who will be better able to provide a detailed, professional report. Prospective buyers should inspect each lot to satisfy themselves as to condition and must understand that any statement made by Sotheby's is merely a subjective qualified opinion.
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Although transformed today into a modern metropolis—the second largest city in Colombia—Medellín, the birthplace of Fernando Botero, still retains aspects of its colonial past. But perhaps nowhere is the city's bygone era of colorful, narrow streets and quaint village houses more palatable than in the work of its most famous son. And while the setting for Man and Horse could be any typical sleepy, mid-twentieth century Latin American town it is more than likely inspired by Medellín as the strategically placed national flags in the background well suggest.

Executed in 1984 in Botero's signature style of flat surfaces rendered in barely perceptible brushwork which belie the voluptuousness of the characters and scenes he creates, Man and Horse depicts a man preparing to embark on a journey. The destination is unknown, but his resolve is apparent in his confident gestures and penetrating gaze. As he prepares to mount his horse and ride into the proverbial sunset, a string of Colombian flags flank him from behind—a poignant symbol of his identity and cultural rootedness. It is tempting to imagine that our traveler may be Botero himself—who so may years ago at the ripe age of 20, left Medellín to seek his fortunes elsewhere and in the ensuing years succeeded in becoming one of the most iconic artists of his generation—largely by capturing in his enigmatic style the people, places, and spirit of his homeland.