The Seamstress 

Fernando Botero’s painting, The Seamstress, offers a commentary on labor through his signature style of exaggerated forms. Botero employed traditional oil paints on canvas, a medium associated with fine art, to depict an everyday scene. The inherent qualities of oil paint—its blendability and capacity for layering—allow Botero to create smooth, voluminous figures. The textures of the fabrics she is working with—the striped cloth and knitted garment—highlight her labor. The act of sewing, traditionally associated with the domestic sphere and often undervalued labor, is central here. Botero elevates this subject matter, bringing it into the realm of high art. By focusing on the material aspects of her craft, Botero prompts us to consider the social and economic context of labor, blurring the lines between fine art and craft.