A recent revelation has illuminated the substantial impact Edvard Munch had on the celebrated Portuguese artist Paula Rego, bridging a gap that many art enthusiasts were unaware of until now. The discovery of one of Rego’s early paintings and a poignant letter from her youth has unveiled a fascinating dialogue between these two artistic giants. This connection not only redefines Rego’s artistic journey but also highlights Munch’s enduring legacy.
A Letter from the Past
In a remarkable twist of fate, a letter penned by a 16-year-old Rego has surfaced, shedding light on her response to a Munch exhibition she attended at the Tate Gallery in London in 1951. At the time, Rego was a student at a finishing school in Kent, far removed from her native Portugal. In her correspondence to her mother, Maria, she expressed her awe at Munch’s work, particularly his iconic pieces *The Scream* and *Inheritance*.
Rego’s words resonate with youthful enthusiasm: “What impressed me most was an exhibition there by a modern Norwegian painter, Edvard Munch,” she wrote. The raw emotions captured in Munch’s art, especially in *Inheritance*, struck a chord with the young artist, who described a haunting image of a woman cradling a skeletal child, all rendered in unsettling shades of green. This early encounter with Munch would leave a lasting impression on Rego’s artistic sensibilities.
The Birth of *Drought*
Fast forward approximately a year later, and Portugal was grappling with a severe drought that deeply affected Rego’s homeland. Inspired by the anguish surrounding her, she created *Drought*, a striking painting that echoes the emotional intensity of Munch’s works. The artwork features a pregnant woman, her mouth agape in despair as she clutches a skeletal infant, her face turned toward the unforgiving sun.
This small yet powerful piece, measuring only 65cm by 22cm, was rediscovered by Rego’s son, Nick Willing, during a family clean-up in 2015. Long forgotten and tucked away in her London studio, *Drought* had never been publicly displayed. Its recent unveiling has not only revived interest in Rego’s oeuvre but also highlighted the direct influence of Munch’s artistry.
A Visual Dialogue
Kari J Brandtzæg, an art historian at Norway’s Munch Museum, has been instrumental in drawing connections between the two artists. Upon viewing *Drought*, she noted the striking parallels to Munch’s *The Scream* and *Anxiety*, particularly in the use of colour and the emotive brushstrokes reminiscent of Munch’s earlier works. “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 remarked.
As the curator of the upcoming exhibition *Dance Among Thorns* at the Munch Museum in Oslo, set to open on 24 April, Brandtzæg had no prior knowledge of Rego’s exposure to Munch’s work until she began selecting pieces for the show. The thematic and compositional similarities between Rego’s *The Dance* and Munch’s *The Dance of Life* are striking, suggesting a silent conversation between the two artists through their shared visual language.
Rediscovering Rego’s Legacy
The search for evidence of Rego’s early admiration for Munch led Brandtzæg on a treasure hunt through the artist’s archives. With the help of Willing and archivist Eloisa Rodriguez, they unearthed the previously mentioned letter, which left Brandtzæg exhilarated. “It was electrifying,” she said, as the letter confirmed her suspicions of a deep-rooted connection.
Further investigation revealed that Rego had attended another Munch exhibition at the Petit Palais in Paris in 1952, a mere year after her initial encounter in London. Rego recalled the experience as transformative, stating, “I loved the life in them and all these things that were going on seem to me what I was trying to do, really.” It is evident that Munch’s emotional depth resonated with Rego, providing her with both inspiration and courage.
Why it Matters
The newfound understanding of Edvard Munch’s influence on Paula Rego not only enriches our appreciation of their individual works but also underscores the interconnectedness of artistic expression across cultures and time periods. This revelation invites us to reconsider how artists inspire one another, often in ways that transcend geographical and temporal boundaries. As we move forward, celebrating the dialogues that occur within the art world becomes essential, reminding us of the shared human experience that art captures so beautifully.
