Fernando Botero Publications by Assouline on display at Opera Gallery
London
12
October - 22 November 2026
Luxury publisher Assouline celebrates the artistic legacy of Fernando Botero (1932–2023) with two publications that offer an extensive exploration of the Colombian artist's career and distinctive visual language. Bringing together paintings, drawings and sculptures from across his oeuvre, the volumes examine the development of an artistic universe defined by exaggerated proportions, vibrant colours, and a singular approach to volume.
Assouline's Fernando Botero, released in 2016 as part of the publisher's Ultimate Collection, presents a retrospective overview of the artist's career through 152 pages and 114 illustrations, including previously unpublished works. Written by curator and art critic Cristina Carrillo de Albornoz, who collaborated with Botero for over two decades, the publication was developed in close dialogue with the artist himself. Working together in his studios in Monte Carlo and Paris, they selected significant works from different periods of his career, offering an insight into Botero's own understanding of his artistic development. Beyond his instantly recognisable figures, the selection reflects his sustained investigation of form, composition, and colour, as well as his belief in artistic experimentation as a lifelong pursuit.
Published in October 2026, Fernando Botero XXL builds upon this exploration through a monumental volume comprising 208 pages and 170 illustrations. Curated by Carrillo de Albornoz alongside the artist's daughter, Lina Botero, who plays an active role in preserving her father's legacy, the publication offers a broader perspective on the diversity of his subjects and techniques. From portraits and still lifes to scenes of everyday life, historical narratives and political subjects, the selection reflects the range of Botero's artistic interests and the consistency of his visual approach. Measuring over one metre in height, the book's exceptional scale establishes a parallel with the monumentality of his paintings and sculptures, encouraging a closer examination of their formal qualities and intricate details.
Copies of both publications will be on display during Opera Gallery London's exhibition dedicated to the artist, ‘Fernando Botero, in Praise of an Amplified World’, offering visitors an opportunity to further explore the artist's practice and the evolution of his work beyond the artworks presented in the gallery. The two titles will also be available at Maison Assouline London.
