Colombian artist Fernando Botero first came to the U.S. to familiarize himself with fine art in New York and Washington, D.C. He settled in New York in 1960. Soon he built a studio in East Hampton and began exhibiting in Europe. As his success grew, he established studios in New York, Paris, and Bogotá and Pietrasanta, Italy. Eventually, he settled in Paris.

Botero is noted as both a painter and a bronze sculptor. He is especially known for exaggerated forms and unusual proportions. These forms may appear humorous, and perhaps they are, but they convey as well a frightening sense of aggressive possessiveness and consumption.

In the late 1950's and continuing throughout his career, the artist has painted pictures of young girls, niñas as they are known to Botero aficionados. These niñas convey quite well the artist's approach to the human form. Immensely overblown and at first shockingly bizarre, these balloon-like human stereotypes present us with a troubling view of humankind.

Botero's work is extremely well-known today and widely sought. His pieces are found in the best collections and finest galleries of the world.