Paula Rego - some more

I made notes about the exhibition for my own interest, and also bought the book in the Museum shop.
She makes quantities of etchings, lithographs and uses aquatint with great competence. In particular I liked the Pendel Witches series. Lots of the prints are in book form, and published as limited editions as 'artists books'.
Some of her drawings are on display, showing them squared up for transposition onto paper or board.
The Abortion series shows women in a dark, almost abstract background, maybe a two colour background, like a Spanish portrait. Black, green. The women are different ages, lookout out at you. She does not need to add anything to the figures, to enhance the message. In one I noticed a black bucket, which she uses in other paintings.
Interesting that she comes from Portugal, where I presume the law preventing abortion might be still in force. I do not know. In any case she comes from the generation, like me, that can remember when abortion was illegal in England - before the Pill!
Her earlier pastels seem less violent than the lastest ones. In particular we both liked The Fitting, from 1990, showing a young woman in a blue crinoline, in a dream-like setting, with two figures fitting her, and odd other figures, tiny by comparison, at the side.
These works make you think, they stay in your mind, they prevent you sleeping at night - or they did me.