Paula Rego's 'The Dance': A farewell to her husband Victor Willing
Paula Rego's 1988 painting 'The Dance', held at Tate London, depicts eight figures dancing on a cliff under moonlight. The work was inspired by her husband, artist Victor Willing, who died shortly before its completion. Rego used their son Nicholas as a model for the two male figures, based on a photo of Willing. The lone female figure on the left is Rego herself, dressed in traditional Portuguese attire, facing life without her partner. The story is explained in a video by Nicholas Rego and Tate's paintings curator Camille Polkownik.
Key facts
- Paula Rego died in June 2022
- The Dance was painted in 1988
- The painting is held at Tate London
- Victor Willing died before the painting was completed
- Nicholas Rego is the son of Paula Rego and Victor Willing
- Camille Polkownik is the curator of paintings at Tate
- The painting shows eight figures dancing on a cliff
- The lone female figure represents Rego herself
Entities
Artists
- Paula Rego
- Victor Willing
- Nicholas Rego
Institutions
- Tate
- Artribune
Locations
- London
- United Kingdom
- Rome
- Italy