newsfromsothebys201012

The Aunt (Nada) (2006), by Paula Rego
Pastel, 178x120cm

Estimate £250,000 - £350,000 (Sotheby's, London, December 15th 2010, Lot. 105)

'This comes from a famous Spanish novel called Nada ('nothing') by Carmen Laforet, which I read in English. It was published in 1945 but the action takes place just after the Spanish Civil War. Apart from those references, it could be a Portuguese novel. A girl called Andrea goes to study at her aunt's house in Barcelona. The story is about her growing up and coming to terms with the difficulty of things. It's the most dysfunctional family you can imagine, and poor. The aunt is a difficult woman and a figure of authority, but she is also vulnerable because she is having an affair with a married man. Also in the family are a grandmother and two brothers, Andrea's cousins, one of whom is married and has a little boy who is very sickly: I have represented him in the form of a little skeleton, which Lila made. The little boy's mother is a bit of a tart. The grandmother busies herself looking after this child. The older brother is a gifted musician who plays the violin very well. There is also a maid they always had maids, whether they were poor or not and she controls a lot of the household. [...]

Property from a Private Collection, London