Galerie Gmurzynska is presenting “Santas”, a new suite of large-scale portrait paintings by the renowned Colombian artist. For this body of work created in 2014, Botero has turned his attention to the iconic depictions of female saints from the Christian canon, reinterpreting one of the quintessential genres of Western art history through his unique style by which these revered unearthly heroines reemerge as distinctly worldly society ladies. This stellar all-female cast altogether comprises ten saints. In approaching these mystical characters, Botero partially incorporates the individual saint’s attributes symbolizing their often harrowing hagiographies as well as their respective functions as patrons to distinct social groups. In the hands of Botero however, these meaning-laden attributes such as a bible or candle double as eye-catching accessories, clutched by the curvaceous saints like a covetable handbag comp

Read More: New suite of large-scale portrait paintings by Fernando Botero on view at Galerie Gmurzynska