STILL LIFE

Towards the end of the 20th century, not many artists were still working with still lifes; and yet, the genre was a source of great fascination for Botero, who then converted it into one of his constant themes. One thing is certain: thanks to the unexpected use he made of colour in them, he allowed us to understand why he stated that it was colours that dominated in his balanced compositions. His creations, when still lifes were just becoming a distinct genre, showed a clear reference to the Dutch painting tradition, and an appropriation of the style that reflected the exuberance of his Latin American origins in both colour and in the complete exaltation of the volumes.

With still lifes, the artist claimed something fundamental: more than the theme in and of itself, what counts above all is the style. “The theme is so unimportant that it practically disappears. What counts and what must be highlighted in a still life is the artist’s specific and individual style.” “It’s the creative ability to do something distinct, that lives inside a person and is shaped within the frame as a function of a great emotion.”