First published 2023
This publication centers on Dame Paula Rego's overlooked masterwork, a three-panel painting called Crivelli's Garden. The British-Portuguese artist created this monumental work during her 1990-91 residency at the National Gallery, drawing inspiration from Carlo Crivelli's Renaissance altarpiece. Rego transformed Crivelli's original scene into something entirely different. Her garden becomes a space where female figures from mythology, folk tales, and biblical stories gather alongside creatures from Aesop's fables and classical literature. Mexican novelist Chloe Aridjis contributes an original short story sparked by Rego's painted world. The book includes art historical analysis of the triptych, previously unseen preparatory sketches, and new detailed photographs of the painting. Literature shaped Rego's artistic vision throughout her career, and this volume honors that connection by pairing visual art with contemporary fiction.
Genres: biography, fiction, art, literary-fiction, art-history
Vibes: emotional, intimate, thought-provoking
Tropes: found-family, literary-fiction
Setting: National Gallery, Portugal
Period: 1990-1991, Renaissance
64 pages · Paperback · National Gallery London