Paula Rego: Polly Put the Kettle on | Custom Prints | Tate Shop

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Paula Rego

Polly Put the Kettle on, 1989

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£30

About the artwork

This piece is from Paula Rego’s 1989 series of etching and aquatint prints, Nursery Rhymes. Originally conceived as a present for her granddaughter, Rego put her own distinctive storytelling spin on the nursery stories and fairy tales. Here, an oversized Polly and Sukey are in the kitchen, with a group of men sat at the table. Polly is animating one of these men as if he were a toy. In an interview with The Observer, Rego explained, ‘And these are the soldiers who have come for tea. What they don't realise is that they are the tea - they're chocolate soldiers, you see?'

Abstract Art

Artist Paula Rego
Artwork Polly Put the Kettle on
Exhibition Paula Rego
Date of work 1989
Credit Original: Etching and aquatint324 x 215 mm Collection Ostrich Arts Ltd (PR)© Paula Rego

ABOUT THE ARTIST

Paula Rego was born in Lisbon, Portugal in 1935 and has travelled between London and Portugal throughout her life. She studied painting at the Slade School of Fine Art, London, and throughout her career she has revolutionised the way in which women are represented, playing a key role in redefining figurative art in the UK and internationally. Her early paintings in Portugal were semi-abstract, sometimes applied to violent or political subjects that revealed a love of story-telling that had been awakened in her as a child by folk-tales related by a great-aunt. She is drawn to subjects that are well known, and takes her imagery from sources as varied as Peter Pan and Mary Magdalene. Her work is part of many public collections, including Tate’s collection.

DELIVERIES AND RETURNS

Delivery times

We aim to deliver custom prints within 2-4 weeks. As each print is handmade to order they take a little longer to prepare. We’ll dispatch your order as soon as it is ready, separately from any other items.

We currently offer free standard delivery on all UK orders over £60. Here’s more information on delivery.

Refunds and returns

As custom prints are made to order, unfortunately we cannot accept returns if you have changed your mind or made a mistake. If we have made a mistake, or there is a problem with your order, then please contact our customer service team at shop@tate.org.uk.

Here’s more information on refunds & returns.

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FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

When will my order be delivered?

We aim to deliver your made-to-order custom print within 1-2 weeks for UK orders, and within 2-4 weeks for international delivery. You can see an estimated delivery date on the product page, on the green banner above the size and frame options.

Our custom prints are produced and shipped directly from our print workshop and arrive separately to all other items. You can learn more about delivery here.

I've made a mistake, can I amend my order?

The best thing to do is email us as soon as possible at shop@tate.org.uk or call us on +44 (0)207 887 8888 with your order number, ideally within 24 hours. Please note that as custom prints are made to order, if production has already started, we won’t be able to make any amendments to the print itself, but we can change your delivery name and address if the order has not been dispatched yet.

I've changed my mind, can I cancel my order?

As custom prints are made to order, unfortunately you can’t cancel your order after production has started (typically within 24 hours). If you get in touch with us within 24 hours, our team will check on the status of your order and do whatever they can to help you out.

Can I return my print?

Because our prints and frames are made to order, custom prints can only be returned if they’re faulty or we’ve made a mistake. If this is the case, please contact us straight away with details and images of the problem, so we can arrange for a refund or replacement for you. You can find further information regarding refunds and returns here.

About Our Prints

Our custom prints are high-quality, made-to-order fine art print reproductions of Tate collection and exhibition artworks. Available in a choice of sizes and hand-made frames, they’re created using state of the art technology and sustainably sourced materials by our Sussex-based print specialists.