Dead Bishops (1965) by Fernando Botero

The artwork titled “Dead Bishops” was created by Fernando Botero in 1965. It belongs to the Naïve Art (Primitivism) movement and is classified as a genre painting.

The artwork depicts a group of bishops in a state of repose, their corpulent figures arranged in a seemingly chaotic yet intricate manner. Each bishop’s face conveys an expression of serene detachment, their eyes closed, as if in eternal slumber. The color palette is muted yet rich, with tones of earth and flesh, and the figures are rendered in Botero’s characteristic voluminous style, which exudes a sense of both gravity and tranquility. The bishops’ attire includes ornate robes and religious headgear, typical of their clerical status, enhancing the thematic juxtaposition of solemnity and softness that permeates the painting. The background is a deep, unobtrusive shade that allows the viewer to focus on the interplay of forms and the serene expressions of the figures, encapsulating a moment of contemplative silence.