Paula Rego

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 she shows the ten thousand men of the Grand Old Duke of York, being endlessly marched up and down the hill in a loop. Many of Rego’s soldiers look stoic, or even cheerful; one however looks up, drawing the viewer’s attention. Rego perfectly captures the sense of utter futility this soldier must feel, his face and stance betraying his despair.

• Artist Paula Rego
• Artwork The Grand Old Duke of York
• Exhibition Paula Rego
• Date of work 1989
• Credit Original: Etching and aquatint325 x 214 mm Collection Ostrich Arts Ltd (PR)© Paula Rego

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.