'Paula Rego: Crivelli's Garden' at the London National Gallery

17 year old Paula Rego

Last week, I stumbled across the Paula Rego exhibition at the London National Gallery (Room 46).

Not only had I never heard of this interesting lady; but I missed the 2021 Tate Britain exhibition. She passed away last year aged 87.

I read an interesting obituary about her in The Guardian. She fled Antonio Salazar’s dictatorship - which ruled over Portugal for four decades in the last century - and settled in London during the 1950s. Her work is said to draws on Portuguese culture and her childhood memories around Cascais (which is a seaside town outside Lisbon).

This Portuguese-British artist created a 9-metre mural: ‘Crivelli’s Garden’. She took inspiration from Venetian painter Carlo Crivelli’s 15th-century altarpiece.

✲✲✲

Crivelli’s Garden

She reinterpreted the Christian narrative, and surrounded the painting with strong women from history and her own life.

What do I think?

Well, they are all women doing and saying things. It’s interesting and full of story and depiction. Her obituary called her a ‘story teller’ which I can appreciate. I can certainly see the connection with Crivelli’s predella panel (see below) - both in the use of perspective and the religious objects summoned by the artists. As a guy who has a few Portuguese friends and family, I can certainly vouch for the light-blue tile effect which serves as a background wall. I like the brown which has been sparingly used. There is an interesting play on perspective. Indeed, at one point, a whole person is smaller than a cat! There is also no ignoring the quality, talent and craftsmanship - and what looks like her signature painting style.

It’s a bit surprising to find out this mural was in a restaurant (although not surprising when one thinks of Rothko).

It’s a lovely and skilful mural.

A mother and her baby in her arms.

The Legend of St Margaret. The frog was a mystery
to me but then I remembered the ‘frog test‘ ?

Clever play on perspective with key scenes of
the life of the Virgin Mary.

The virgin Mary converses with her cousin Elizabeth
(who is pregnant with John the Baptist)

A storyteller and an artist at her feet. 
Behind a girl reading a story to another.

Aesop’s fables decorating the fountain.

Mary Magdalene in contemplation.
Saint Catherine of Alexandria with her sword
over the decapitated head of an Emperor.

✲✲✲

Madonna of the Swallow by Carlo Crivelli

Beautiful of course, but the focus should be on the predella panel. Crivelli depicted of Saint Catherine of Alexandria and Saint George at either end. In the middle, stories of Saint Jerome, the Nativity and Saint Sebastian in different forms of architecture. Rego was inspired to create her own version of the garden.

✲✲✲

Extra photos:

People in the gallery

✲✲✲

The National Gallery

✲✲✲

On the way home, spotted a bird on the statute of Sir Henry Havelock. More respectful than some other birds :) !