NY art auction to feature works by Botero, Kahlo

More than a dozen paintings and sculptures from Colombian artist Botero will be offered next week at an auction of Latin American masterpieces.

New York: More than a dozen paintings and sculptures from Colombian artist Fernando Botero will be offered next week at an auction of Latin American masterpieces.

"A Family," a 1972 painting that depicts Botero`s famous corpulent silhouettes, is the most expensive piece of the collection and could sell for as much as $1.5 million in the auction Wednesday. It shows a five-member family posing in front of colorful trees. "Botero is the most instantly recognizable artist in the world," said Axel Stein, vice president of senior business development for Sotheby`s. "People laugh at Botero`s style but his draftsman skills are unparalleled." The 1992 bronze sculpture "Man on a Horse" is one of the artist`s most important sculptures, the auctioneer said, and could fetch up to $1.2 million. Botero`s two most expensive paintings, "The Musicians" and "Four Musicians," were sold in May 2006 for a little more than $2 million each. The art sale in New York will also feature Mexican artist Frida Kahlo, whose tiny self-portrait, "Autorretrato en Miniatura," has a presale estimate of up to $1.2 million. Bureau Report