Dame Paula Rego has died at the age of 87.
Dame Paula Rego has died at the age of 87
The Portuguese-British artist - who enjoyed a 60-year career creating art based on fairytale characters, fiction, and her own life - passed away at her home in London in the early hours of Wednesday morning (08.06.22) following a short illness.
The Victoria Miro gallery said in a statement: "It is with immense sadness that we announce the death of the Portuguese-born, British artist Dame Paula Rego at the age of 87. She died peacefully this morning, after a short illness, at home in North London, surrounded by her family. Our heartfelt thoughts are with them."
The renowned artist - who won a slew of awards throughout her career but also spent much of her life as an activist focusing on women's rights and abortion rights - was married to the late nude painter Victor Willing and is survived by their three children Cas, Victoria and Nick as well as her granddaughter and fellow artist Grace Smart.
Grace was the first to lead the tributes to her grandmother as she took to Twitter to pay her respects.
She wrote: "Paula Rego was a fantastic and world-changing artist, and grandma. She taught us how to sew, draw, put on eyeliner, and tell uncomfortable stories.
It’s an honour to have been a small part of her work, and to have her as such a huge part of my life.
It’s a sad day for many."
Meanwhile, best-selling author Caitlin Moran penned: "Oh gosh - she was just sensational: her retrospective at Tate last year was like stepping into cathedral after cathedral of genius!"