Paula Rego ‘masterpiece’ may set record for artist at Sotheby’s auction

Meadow has top-end initial estimate of about 3m, as Rego's work about gender and abortion finds new audiences

A masterpiece" by Paula Rego is set to go under the hammer at Sotheby's next week and could set a new record for the artist.

Rego's challenging work about abortion, gender roles and domestic violence has found new audiences in an era when identity is king. Since her death in 2022 the record price for one of her works at auction has risen significantly, jumping from 1.1m in 2015 to a new record of just over 3m at Christie's in October last year.