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
- Glass plate negatives
- Date
- [c.1930–60]
- Description
- This sub-series consists of glass plate negatives of Agar, Joseph Bard and friends, as well as reproductions of plates from botanical and biological books, possibly used by Agar as inspiration for her artwork. A few of the slides have been painted or had patterns stuck to them (for instance TGA 9222/4/8/109-120), presumably by Agar.
- Reference
- TGA 9222/4/8
Showing 61–80 of 124 objects
Eileen Agar Untitled
date not known
Eileen Agar Black and white glass lantern slide of an African artefact
date not known
Eileen Agar Untitled
date not known
Eileen Agar Untitled
date not known
Eileen Agar Colour glass lantern slide of a diagram of nerves in the human body
date not known
Eileen Agar Colour glass lantern slide with a paper cut-out of a plant against a coloured background
date not known
Eileen Agar Black and white glass lantern slide of a botanical drawing of pea mould
date not known
Eileen Agar Glass slide covered in black paint into which rounded patterns have been scratched
date not known
Eileen Agar Black and white glass lantern slide of a diagram of cells
date not known
Eileen Agar Black and white glass lantern slide of Valentine Penrose looking away from the camera
date not known
Eileen Agar Black and white glass lantern slide of Valentine Penrose holding an oil lamp up to a window
date not known
Eileen Agar Black and white glass lantern slide of a drawing or painting of an abstract figure
date not known
Eileen Agar Black and white glass lantern slide of a botanical drawing of apples and apple blossom
date not known
Eileen Agar Black and white glass lantern slide of a woman staring into a mirror, captioned ‘Reflections’
date not known
Eileen Agar Black and white glass lantern slide of a drawing of an Aztec figure
date not known
Eileen Agar Black and white glass lantern slide of a botanical drawing of an unidentified plant
date not known
Eileen Agar Untitled
date not known
Eileen Agar Untitled
date not known
Eileen Agar Untitled
date not known
Eileen Agar Black and white glass lantern slide of a drawing of caterpillars on plants
date not known