Paula Rego's Meadow is an unequivocal masterpiece. The apogee of the artist’s psychological exploration of the human condition, the present work is a masterful multi-figured composition, mapping out the artist’s fascinating subconscious. With signature ambiguity and frank honesty, Rego draws up the complexities of male-female relationships: the disquieting interplay between obedience and defiance, fear and desire, agency and passivity. Rego’s flair is in her superb draftsmanship and expert translation of pastel into flesh, which has positioned her at the forefront of contemporary figurative painting.
This deep and complex work is a star lot of the Modern & Contemporary Evening Auction, including the Ralph I. Goldenberg Collection taking place at Sotheby's London on 25 June.
