Biography

Paula Rego is a Portuguese artist known for her paintings and prints which are often based on children’s folktales. Among her most famous works are her Dog Women paintings, a playful series depicting a magical realist world where women behave as dogs. Rego’s work is heavily influenced by Surrealist artists like Joan Miró, though gradually her paintings have become more realistically rendered with similarities to the work of the painter Balthus in their strong, clear drawing style and depictions of women in strange or unsettling situations. Born on January 26, 1935 in Lisbon, Portugal, she went on to study in London at the Slade School of Fine Art. Rego’s work can be found in the collections of the National Gallery in London, the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York, and the Tate Gallery in London, among others. She continues to live and work in London, England.