Portrait of Botero as a Young Man

What muses watched over the birth of Fernando Botero? Who nursed him? What were his first steps once weaned? And when did he take a decisive turn? Botero’s story is one of inspirations, enchantments, and revelations – and yet, from a certain point onward, what prevails is an artistic vision that fits him like a glove – or rather, like the suit of a matador or trapeze artist. Which may be a strange thing to say about the inventor of the esthetic of plumpness! Through nine pivotal moments, we get an intimate look at one of the artists who has most sharply shaped – and stirred – our modern imagination, a portrait that reveals how art, for Botero, equals happiness… or at least, something like it.