A recent discovery has unveiled the profound impact Edvard Munch had on the celebrated Portuguese artist Paula Rego, bridging a gap in art history that has long gone unnoticed. The revelation stems from an early painting by Rego, titled *Drought*, alongside a previously overlooked letter in which a teenage Rego expressed her admiration for Munch after attending his exhibition in London in 1951.
A Chance Encounter at the Tate
In 1951, a young Paula Rego, then just 16 and studying at a finishing school in Kent, visited the Tate Gallery. There, she encountered the haunting works of Munch, whose legacy loomed large despite his passing in 1944. In a heartfelt letter to her mother, Maria, Rego described the exhibition and her deep emotional response to Munch’s masterpieces, notably *The Scream* and *Inheritance*.
She wrote, “What impressed me most was an exhibition there by a modern Norwegian painter, Edvard Munch. I don’t know if you are familiar with that quite famous painting *The Scream* – that’s his – and he paints almost everything in that genre.” Rego’s vivid recollections reveal not only her youthful wonder but also the seeds of inspiration that Munch planted in her artistic psyche.
The Rediscovery of *Drought*
Fast forward to 2015, when Rego and her son, Nick Willing, were sifting through her family home in Portugal. They stumbled upon *Drought*, a striking 65cm by 22cm painting that Rego had created in response to the drought affecting her homeland. The artwork featured an open-mouthed pregnant woman cradling a skeletal infant, a vivid piece reflecting the emotional intensity that Munch’s work had instilled in her.
After Rego’s passing in 2022, Willing and the head of her estate rediscovered the painting in her London studio, tucked away in a portfolio. This discovery reignited interest in Rego’s relationship with Munch, prompting art historians to re-examine the connections between their works.
A Dialogue Across Time
Art historian Kari J Brandtzæg, affiliated with the Munch Museum in Norway, was particularly captivated by the parallels between Rego’s *Drought* and Munch’s iconic pieces. “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.
Brandtzæg was tasked with curating *Dance Among Thorns*, the first major exhibition dedicated to Rego in the Nordic region, opening at the Munch Museum in Oslo on 24 April. Initially unaware of Rego’s encounter with Munch’s art, she soon noted striking similarities in the themes and compositions of their works. “There is a kind of dialogue with Munch’s pictures. It is almost as though Rego is having a silent conversation with Munch’s visual world,” Brandtzæg explained.
Willing confirmed his mother’s admiration for Munch but noted a lack of concrete evidence regarding her visits to see his work in Oslo or elsewhere. However, the discovery of *Drought* spurred Brandtzæg to delve deeper, leading to the unearthing of the letter detailing Rego’s visit to the Tate and her subsequent visit to another Munch exhibition in Paris a year later.
The Emotional Resonance of Munch
In an oral history interview conducted by the British Library in 2004, Rego described Munch’s paintings as “amazing” and “very emotional,” highlighting their life force and the myriad of sentiments they conveyed. “I loved the life in them and all these things that were going on seem to me what I was trying to do, really,” she reflected.
Brandtzæg posits that Munch served as a kind of idol for Rego, igniting her artistic courage and inspiring her expression. “Munch became a friend in art she could look at and get ideas from,” she said. “Something deep within her resonates with Munch’s work, something that she wants to express. Both for Rego and for Munch, art is a way of finding and being yourself.”
Why it Matters
This newfound connection between Munch and Rego serves as a vital reminder of the intricate webs of influence that shape artistic landscapes. As we delve into the past, it becomes evident that art is not created in isolation but is rather a conversation that transcends time and geography. Rego’s work, infused with the emotional depth and rawness of Munch, not only enriches her own legacy but also highlights the enduring power of artistic inspiration. The dialogue between these two masters invites us to reflect on how our own experiences and influences shape our creative selves, a testament to the timelessness of artistic expression.
