Paula Rego, the most important Portuguese painter of the 20th century, dies at 87

The Portuguese painter Paula Rego, one of the most recognized artists in the world and the most important contemporary Portuguese painter, has died at dawn this Thursday at her London residence at the age of 87, the Luis I Foundation, an organization linked to to the deceased painter.

With his death, “Portuguese culture loses one of its most important and irreverent creators”, the Foundation has said.

Born in Lisbon, Paula Rego was educated in London, where she had lived for half a century, and where she died "peacefully this morning, after a brief illness and surrounded by her family", as confirmed by the Victoria Miro contemporary art gallery. .

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. pic.twitter.com/hFXdIZeTtb

— Victoria Miro (@victoriamiro) June 8, 2022

Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa, President of the Republic, has lamented the death of the artist and has announced that he will speak with the Prime Minister, António Costa "to consider how to mark this loss in terms of a national mourning".

“For decades, Paula Rego has not only been very important in Portugal or England, where she lived, but throughout the world. She is a national loss”, affirmed the President of the Republic.

In the municipality of Cascais, where the Casa das Histórias Paula Rego is located, municipal mourning has already been decreed for this Thursday. "We will do everything possible to honor her memory through the activities of the Casa das Histórias Paula Rego", they have stressed through Facebook.