A recently discovered painting and a long-forgotten letter have unveiled the profound influence that Edvard Munch had on the celebrated Portuguese artist Paula Rego. This revelation casts new light on the artistic dialogue between two iconic figures, bridging the Nordic and Iberian artistic realms. The letter, penned by a young Rego, details her transformative experience at a Munch exhibition in London and underscores the emotional resonance that Munch’s work had on her burgeoning artistic vision.
A Hidden Legacy
For years, the connection between Edvard Munch, the Norwegian master known for his haunting portrayals of human emotion, and Paula Rego, the influential figurative painter, remained largely overlooked. However, the recent discovery of Rego’s early work, paired with a letter she wrote at the tender age of 16, illuminates the significant impact Munch had on her artistic development.
In a letter to her mother, Maria, dated 1951, Rego recounted her visit to the Tate Gallery in London, where she was struck by Munch’s oeuvre. “What impressed me most was an exhibition there by a modern Norwegian painter, Edvard Munch,” she wrote, vividly recalling the profound effect his paintings had on her. “It’s so impressive, so impressive that you can’t imagine,” she articulated, expressing particular admiration for Munch’s iconic piece, *The Scream*, and another work, *Inheritance*, which depicted a woman cradling a skeletal child, an image that would later resonate in her own artistic explorations.
The Art of Drought
Around a year following her initial encounter with Munch’s work, Rego created her own piece titled *Drought*, capturing the despair of families in Portugal suffering from severe drought conditions. The painting features an open-mouthed pregnant woman bearing a skeletal infant—elements that echo the emotional weight found in Munch’s art. Discovered by Rego’s son, Nick Willing, during a family cleanup in 2015, this 65cm by 22cm artwork had remained hidden away until now, unseen by the public eye.
Upon its rediscovery, Willing and the head of Rego’s estate brought it to the attention of Kari J Brandtzæg, an art historian at the Munch Museum in Norway. Brandtzæg immediately recognised the parallels between Rego’s *Drought* and Munch’s works, noting similarities in colour usage and the raw emotionality of the brushstrokes. “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,” she remarked.
A Dialogue Across Time
The unveiling of *Drought* has transformed the upcoming exhibition, *Dance Among Thorns*, at the Munch Museum in Oslo, where it will feature prominently. This exhibition, the first major showcase of Rego’s work in the Nordic region, opens on 24 April and aims to explore the connections between Rego and Munch in greater depth.
When tasked with curating the exhibition, Brandtzæg was unaware of the link between the two artists. However, as she began selecting Rego’s pieces, she was struck by thematic and compositional similarities with Munch’s works, noting a “silent conversation” that seemed to exist between them. Despite extensive research, concrete evidence of Rego’s direct experiences with Munch’s art remained elusive—until the serendipitous discovery of the letter.
In a subsequent interview, Rego herself had expressed admiration for Munch, describing his work as “amazing” and “very emotional.” She acknowledged that Munch’s artistry resonated deeply with her own aspirations, suggesting that he served as a source of courage and inspiration. “Munch became a kind of idol for Rego, who triggered her own feelings and gave her courage and inspiration,” said Brandtzæg. “Something deep within her resonates with Munch’s work, something that she wants to express.”
Why it Matters
This revelation not only enriches our understanding of Paula Rego’s artistic journey but also highlights the interconnectedness of art across cultures and generations. Munch’s influence on Rego serves as a reminder of how artists can inspire one another, transcending geographical and temporal boundaries. As audiences prepare to experience the dialogue between these two remarkable artists in the forthcoming exhibition, it becomes clear that art is not merely a reflection of individual expression; it is a shared language, capable of evoking deep emotional truths across time and space.
