The Sacred Way by Fernando Botero
The Sacred Way, by Fernando Botero
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The Sacred Way, by Fernando Botero is a series of oil paintings and drawings created by the Colombian artist that convey the pain and violence. The artist critiques the social injustices lived in the present compared to those lived by Jesus over 2,000 years ago. They repeat...
In almost all the canvases, it is possible to find contemporary elements - current clothing, wristwatches, or even a police officer among the Roman soldiers. "Botero uses a lot of humor in his paintings, and through these elements, he draws attention to the pain and violence that exist today."
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As expected, we can find his personal mark, almost all of large dimensions, it is possible to see the human figures in relief both by size, almost larger than the houses that appear in the background, as well as the characteristic rounded shapes of the artist's style. "Botero always says he doesn't paint fat people, but he wants to give volumes to the shapes", an element of great importance in his work.
Faithful to the events of Jesus' life, the painter does not fail to portray them with the originality of his brush. If many before him painted the Passion of Christ with medieval fortresses and bucolic landscapes punctuated by hills, Botero now inserts them in contemporary contexts in the towns of Antioquia, in Medellín (his hometown in Colombia) and in drug cartel posters. This, without mentioning Christ, whose figure leaves being slender for being voluminous and obese, like all the iconic characters in Botero's work. Or not to mention Judas, who takes the form of Pablo Escobar in one of the drawings. Otherwise, the allusions to the drug lord and his commanders run through much of The Sacred Way, by Fernando Botero.
"In painting, there is always the exaltation of some aspects. In Van Gogh's work, for example, it was color, in mine it is volume. I don't believe I have painted a fat creature in my entire life." The volumetry is everywhere. My works are sensual." (Fernando Botero)
The series is composed of 27 canvases and 34 drawings on paper dedicated to the drama of the passion and death of Jesus Christ, produced between 2010 and 2011.
We highlight here, the main works related to the theme:
The Kiss of Judas - Knowing what would happen after Judas' betrayal, indignant, the artist self-portrayed in the scene, located below in the left corner of the composition.
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