Personal papers of and artworks by Eileen Agar
1917–92

Available online are items a range of Eileen Agar's artworks and writings which shed light on her working methods, including her extensive use of found objects, and her involvement in the Surrealist movement. Artworks which have been digitised include sculptures constructed from found objects and preparatory tracings for her series of paintings of rocks at Ploumanach. Several of Agar's writings and notebooks, which provide some insight into her life, working methods, and reflections on art, can also be seen online.
Details of the remainder of the collection can be found on the Archive catalogue.
- Collection Owner
- Eileen Agar 1899–1991
- Collection
- Tate Archive
- Acquisition
- Bequeathed to Tate Archive by Eileen Agar, 1992.
- Reference
- TGA 9222
239 objects in this collection
- Title
- Writings by Eileen Agar
- Date
- [c.1983]–1990
- Description
- These writings by Agar include some descriptions of how she constructed artworks from found objects. There is also a lecture entitled 'Surrealism in England', written and given with Andrew Lambirth, which outlines the development of the movement and particularly Agar's involvement in it.
- Reference
- TGA 9222/2/3
Showing 7 objects
Eileen Agar Handwritten story entitled ‘A Journey through the Eye’
date not known
Eileen Agar, Andrew Lambirth Typewritten lecture entitled ‘Surrealism in England in the 1930s’ given by Andrew Lambirth and Eileen Agar at the Royal College of Art
[1988]
Eileen Agar Note by Eileen Agar on how she made her artworks ‘The Obelisk of Satisfied Desire’ and ‘The Magician’
date not known
Eileen Agar Note by Eileen Agar on how her artworks ‘Harlequin’ and ‘Bird and Egg’ were painted
date not known
Eileen Agar Note by Eileen Agar on her work ‘Sea-deep’
date not known
Eileen Agar Note by Eileen Agar on painting, surrealism and abstractism, and collage
date not known
Eileen Agar Note on Lewis Carroll, describing him as ‘a prophet of surrealism’
date not known