Fernando Botero (b. 1932)

Gift from the artist
Alvaro Mutis, Mexico
Private Collection, Bogotá
Galerie Brusberg, Berlin
Private Collection, France

This work on canvas may have been re-stretched at some point, but the stretcher and tacking edges appear to be original. The uneven gloss to the paint layer is typical of works that have never been cleaned or varnished. There are no damages or retouches. There are a few tiny specks of possible loss on the lower edge, but the work is essentially in perfect state. (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.
NOTWITHSTANDING THIS REPORT OR ANY DISCUSSIONS CONCERNING CONDITION OF A LOT, ALL LOTS ARE OFFERED AND SOLD "AS IS" IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE CONDITIONS OF SALE PRINTED IN THE CATALOGUE.

“To use a painting by another painter as a model, which I often do, is to measure yourself against the pictorial power of a work. If your own aesthetic stand is altogether original with respect to the one you’ve decided to confront, the painting you make out of it is an original in itself. This sort of copy enables me to make a declaration of principles, a sort of manifesto.”

-Fernando Botero

Botero: Women, New York: Rizzoli Publications, 2003, p. 31

Early in his career Colombian born artist Fernando Botero travelled to Europe, spending several years studying in Spain and Italy. At the Prado Museum in Madrid, and especially in Florence, he honed his eye in the art of the Renaissance masters who would influence his work throughout his career. The Museum of Modern Art in New York acquired the first of his works for their collection, Mona Lisa Aged Twelve, in 1961. In it, Botero re-imagined Da Vinci's enigmatic subject as a playful young girl, holding a bouquet of flowers. During this period, Botero did several variations on the theme of a child Mona Lisa. He studied her in different poses and variations, including one in which he depicted her in profile in the manner of Piero della Francesca. The painting being offered in this sale Mona Lisa Aged Thirteen, is a more intimate version than the work at the Museum of Modern Art; here her exuberant bow and playful gesture take a more center stage while her smile remains enigmatic and timeless.