In a solemn funeral mass remembering Colombia’s most universal artist, Fernando Botero, Mozart’s requiem, interpreted by the Colombian National Orchestra and National Chorus, evoked the sorrow and poignancy of the historical moment. Botero, who died September 15, 2023, at the age 91, was remembered for the great beauty of his works and his longing for peace and national unity.
In an affecting homily José Luis Rueda, archbishop of Bogotá, defined the moment as especially painful for Colombia – the loss of its most universal artist, who expressed in his work “the Colombian reality, the social criticism, the passion for life, the art, the colors of hope.”
Colombian President Gustavo Petro, and various government officials presided, as friends, family and the three children of Botero stood in front of the coffin, adorned with the Colombian national flag.
The archbishop went on to speak of the importance of beauty in daily life and the quality of beauty that Botero loved – the quotidian colors of life, music and literature, and their ability to lift humanity above its own contradictions and complexities.
After describing the power of beauty to unify, the archbishop spoke of a specific work in which Botero evoked the Stations of the Cross, relating beauty to the suffering of the cross.
The unity he spoke of was palpable as the archbishop concluded: “In the midst of the joys and dramas that have accompanied the people, maestro Botero knew how to portray in his works the quotidian beauty and the love of the authentic joys of life, the pain, the suffering that cause our contradictions as people, the value of our common roots, and above all, hope for a brighter future.”
Colombians from all walks of life attended the funeral mass outside the Cathedral in Bogotá’s historic Plaza de Bolívar by watching the solemn military parade and bringing personal items of appreciation, such as flowers and handwritten messages, to the deceased artist. After the one hour religious service, the hearse headed up Calle 11 to Museo Botero where the casket was placed in front of one of his large bronze sculptures for a ceremony hosted by Colombia’s central bank, Banco de la República.
Botero will be buried on Saturday in the Tuscan village of Pietrasanta where the artist worked for many decades on his larger-than-life sculptures.
