FERNANDO BOTERO | Self-Portrait at the Age of Four

Collection of Tracy Atkinson, Texas (gift of the artist circa 1966)
Acquired from the above by the present owner in 2002

This work is in beautiful condition. The canvas is well stretched. The paint layer is clean. No damages or restorations are apparent. The work may have been varnished, but this may have been done by the artist. The painting should be hung as-is. (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.

"Botero keeps a middle ground between what is perceived and what is imagined. He combines a face-to-face vision of things with a reflective relationship. He takes into account the reflection of the thing in the organic eye and considers this reflection, modifying it only to the extent that is compatible with maintaining a relative amount of classical pictorial figuration. He combines the unique point of view on the object with perspective, which is not possible in the classical sense: volume."  Marcel Paquet, Botero: Philosophy of the Creative Act, New York 1992, p. 22