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 81–100 of 124 objects
Eileen Agar Untitled
date not known
Eileen Agar Glass slide covered in black ink or paint into which patterns have been scratched
date not known
Eileen Agar Colour glass lantern slide of diagram of vertebrae
date not known
Eileen Agar Black and white glass lantern slide of diagrams of different types of cell
date not known
Eileen Agar Colour glass lantern slide of unidentified biological diagrams
date not known
Eileen Agar Colour glass lantern slide of a cross-section of an internal organ, possibly a kidney
date not known
Eileen Agar Untitled
date not known
Eileen Agar Colour glass lantern slide of a diagram of the musculature of a human seen from the back
date not known
Eileen Agar Colour glass lantern slide of a diagram showing the eyeball, brain, and nerves of a human
date not known
Eileen Agar Black and white glass lantern slide of a drawing of a bunch of carrots on a table
date not known
Eileen Agar Black and white glass lantern slide of a botanical drawing of a stalk of Brussels sprouts
date not known
Eileen Agar Untitled
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 Black and white glass lantern slide of a botanical drawing of a flower arrangement
date not known
Eileen Agar Black and white glass lantern slide of a botanical drawing of grapes
date not known
Eileen Agar Untitled
date not known
Eileen Agar Black and white glass lantern slide of a botanical drawing of pears
date not known
Eileen Agar Black and white glass lantern slide of a botanical drawing of an unidentified plant
date not known
Eileen Agar Black and white glass lantern slide of a Maltese cross from the Mexican codices
date not known