A newly discovered letter and an early painting have shed light on the profound influence Edvard Munch had on the celebrated Portuguese artist Paula Rego. This revelation, emerging from the archives following Rego’s death in 2022, illustrates an unexpected yet significant connection between two titans of modern art, illuminating how Munch’s haunting imagery shaped Rego’s creative evolution.
A Lasting Impression
In 1951, a young Paula Rego visited a Munch exhibition at the Tate Gallery in London, an experience that would leave an indelible mark on her artistic sensibilities. At just 16 years old, Rego wrote to her mother, Maria, describing the profound impact of Munch’s work. “What impressed me most was an exhibition there by a modern Norwegian painter, Edvard Munch,” she recalled, highlighting the emotional weight of his pieces. This letter, recently uncovered, underscores the pivotal moment when Rego first encountered Munch’s iconic painting, The Scream, and another of his works, Inheritance, both of which would resonate throughout her career.
Rego’s description of Inheritance, with its evocative portrayal of a grieving woman cradling a skeletal child, foreshadows themes she would later explore in her own work. The intensity with which she expressed her admiration—“it’s so impressive, so impressive that you can’t imagine”—reveals her immediate connection to Munch’s emotive style.
The Rediscovery of ‘Drought’
Fast forward to 2015, when Rego and her son, Nick Willing, were sorting through her belongings in Portugal. They stumbled upon a small painting, titled Drought, which Rego had created in response to the devastating drought affecting her homeland. The painting features an open-mouthed pregnant woman carrying a skeletal infant, her face turned towards the unforgiving sun—a striking visual that echoes Munch’s own thematic concerns.
Willing, along with an art historian from Norway’s Munch Museum, Kari J Brandtzæg, recognised the parallels between Drought and Munch’s oeuvre. “It was so obvious in the use of red and yellow and also how it was painted, very roughly, as Munch did in his 1890s paintings,” Brandtzæg noted. This connection adds yet another layer to the dialogue between the two artists, suggesting a deep-seated influence that has gone largely unnoticed until now.
A Journey of Artistic Discovery
As Brandtzæg prepared for the upcoming exhibition, Dance Among Thorns, at the Munch Museum in Oslo, she began to explore Rego’s body of work with an eye for Munch’s influence. Initially unaware of any direct interaction between the two artists, Brandtzæg felt a growing conviction as she examined Rego’s pieces. The similarities in composition and themes between Rego’s The Dance and Munch’s The Dance of Life were particularly striking.
The critical turning point came when the letter detailing Rego’s experience at the Tate was discovered among her papers. “It was electrifying,” Brandtzæg expressed. This letter, combined with an oral history interview from 2004 in which Rego recounted attending another Munch exhibition, solidified the connection. Rego’s admiration for Munch’s work, describing it as “amazing” and “very emotional,” reveals the depth of her reverence for the artist.
The Silent Conversation
Brandtzæg believes that Munch served as a kind of artistic mentor for Rego, a silent partner in her creative journey. “Munch became a friend in art she could look at and get ideas from,” she said. For Rego, Munch’s paintings resonated with her own struggles and aspirations, providing her with the courage and inspiration to express her unique voice.
The recognition of this artistic lineage opens up new avenues for understanding not only Rego’s work but also the broader narrative of modern art. As these connections come to light, they challenge established perceptions and encourage a reevaluation of the influences that shape an artist’s vision.
Why it Matters
This newfound understanding of the relationship between Edvard Munch and Paula Rego is not merely an academic curiosity; it enriches the narrative of artistic development and cultural exchange. By acknowledging the profound impact that one artist can have on another, we gain insight into the ways in which art transcends time and geography, fostering dialogues that resonate across generations. In a world where the connection between past and present is often overlooked, this revelation serves as a reminder of the enduring power of creative inspiration.
