Eileen Agar

Key facts

Lived

1899–1991, Argentine^[1]

Movement

• Surrealism

^[1]

Works held in

10 museums

Wikipedia

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• What is Eileen Agar known for?+

  Eileen Agar is known for her involvement in the Surrealist movement. She worked across painting, collage, and found-object assemblage, often using materials gathered on beaches.
• What is Eileen Agar's most famous work?+

  Eileen Agar is most recognised for her collage, *Quadriga*, created around 1935^[1]. The piece is a mixed-media work, incorporating fabric, beads, and other materials onto a photograph. *Quadriga* is viewed as a quintessential example of her engagement with Surrealism^[1]. Agar's interest in collage extended beyond *Quadriga*. She frequently used collage techniques in her paintings and other works. This approach allowed her to explore juxtapositions of textures and imagery. These unexpected combinations are a hallmark of Surrealist art. While *Quadriga* remains her most well-known piece, Agar produced a diverse body of work throughout her career. She experimented with painting, sculpture, and photography. Her artistic output includes abstract compositions and pieces that incorporate natural forms. Agar's work often explores themes of the subconscious and the natural world. She was associated with the British Surrealist movement, and her art reflects the movement's interest in dreams and unconventional imagery.
• What should I know about Eileen Agar's prints?+

  Eileen Agar produced prints throughout her career, using varied techniques. Printmaking involves creating multiple original impressions from a single prepared surface. Woodblock prints are created by carving a design into a block of wood, inking the raised surface, and pressing it onto paper. The artist carefully proofs the print at each stage, testing colour, eliminating unwanted marks, and deciding on paper and edition size. A roller press helps ensure even printing; guide rails prevent clunking as the block goes through the rollers. Prints are often produced in limited editions, as decided by the artist. Each print in an edition is numbered, titled, and signed, typically in pencil, following established conventions. The edition number appears on the bottom left margin of the print, the title in the centre, and the signature on the right. These conventions, though not legally binding, are widely respected within the printmaking community.
• What style or movement did Eileen Agar belong to?+

  Eileen Agar is associated with Surrealism^[1], an artistic and literary movement that began in 1924^[1]. Surrealism explored the workings of the mind, drawing inspiration from psychoanalysis, dreams, chance encounters, and irrationality. Agar was born in Argentina in 1899^[1], moved to London in 1911, and lived there for the rest of her life, with frequent visits to France. She became a co-founder of the Surrealist Group in England in 1936. Agar co-signed the group's declaration and collaborated on publications such as the *International Surrealist Bulletin* and the *London Bulletin*. Agar participated in International Surrealist Exhibitions in London (1936), Amsterdam (1938), and Paris (1947). During the 1960s, she once again took part in movement-organised shows, such as "The Enchanted Domain" (Exeter, 1967) and "Surrealism Unlimited" (London, 1978). Her work often combined everyday elements with the unexpected. For example, her piece *Angel of Anarchy* (1936-40) used textiles over plaster and mixed media.
• What techniques or materials did Eileen Agar use?+

  Eileen Agar was known for her experimental approach to art-making, and she employed a variety of techniques and materials throughout her career. Agar is associated with collage, often combining found objects and unconventional materials to create surrealist compositions. These works incorporate items such as shells, feathers, fabrics, and photographs, assembled to create surprising juxtapositions and textures. In addition to collage, Agar also worked with painting and drawing. She experimented with different paint media, including oil and watercolour, and explored various techniques, such as automatic drawing and decalcomania (a process of transferring paint from one surface to another). She also produced works using photography, and she was interested in the interplay between different media. Her artistic practice involved a willingness to experiment and push the boundaries of traditional art forms.
• What was Eileen Agar known for?+

  Eileen Agar (1899^[1]-1991^[1]) was an Anglo-Argentine^[1] artist associated with Surrealism^[1]. Although she produced works in varied media, including painting and collage, she is perhaps best known for her involvement with the British Surrealist Group during the 1930s. Born in Buenos Aires, Agar moved to London as a child. She studied at the Slade School of Fine Art during the 1920s, and her early work showed Cubist influences. By the early 1930s, she had moved toward abstraction and Surrealism. Agar visited Henry Moore and Barbara Hepworth in 1930^[1]; she later acquired a studio near their residence. Agar participated in the 1936 International Surrealist Exhibition in London. Her work from this period often incorporated found objects and unconventional materials. Examples include "The Angel of Anarchy" (1940), a plaster head covered in feathers and fabric, and "Quadriga" (1935), a collage of photographs and other materials. She continued to exhibit her work throughout her life, though her association with the Surrealist movement is the aspect most often discussed.
• Where can I see Eileen Agar's work?+

  Eileen Agar's work can be viewed in several public collections. In the UK, these include the Brighton Museum & Art Gallery, Manchester Art Gallery, the National Museums of Scotland (Royal Museum) in Edinburgh, and the Victoria & Albert Museum in London. Other locations include the Aberdeen Art Gallery and Museum, the Ulster Museum in Belfast, the Barber Institute of Fine Arts in Birmingham, and the Leeds City Art Gallery. Outside the UK, several museums in the United States hold examples of her work. These are the Charles Hosmer Morse Museum of American Art (Winter Park, Florida), the Los Angeles County Museum of Art (LACMA), the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York, the Minneapolis Institute of Arts, the Museum of Modern Art in New York, the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts (Richmond), and the Wolfsonian at Florida International University (Miami Beach). Other museums include the Royal Ontario Museum in Toronto.
• Where was Eileen Agar from?+

  Eileen Agar was born in 1899^[1] in Buenos Aires; her father was a Scottish businessman, and her mother was American. In 1911^[1], her family relocated to London, and, apart from extended visits to France, Agar resided there for the rest of her life. Agar was a painter, collagist, and maker of surrealist objects. She co-founded the Surrealist Group in England in 1936. She co-signed the group's inaugural declaration and collaborated on the *International Surrealist Bulletin*, as well as the English group’s chief organ, *London Bulletin*. Agar participated in several International Surrealist Exhibitions, such as those held in London (1936), Amsterdam (1938), and Paris (1947). During the 1960s surrealist resurgence, she once again took part in movement-organised shows, such as “The Enchanted Domain” (Exeter, 1967) and “Surrealism^[1] Unlimited” (London, 1978).
• Who did Eileen Agar influence?+

  It is difficult to identify specific individuals directly influenced by Eileen Agar. However, her participation in the Surrealist movement, and later presence in Britain, meant that she was part of a network of artists who mutually inspired each other. Agar was one of many women who contributed to Surrealism^[1], exploring identity, emotion, and female sexuality in ways that contrasted with male approaches. Other women in this circle included Leonora Carrington, Leonor Fini, Dorothea Tanning, and Meret Oppenheim. These artists, along with Agar, engaged with central Surrealist themes like eroticism and revolution. Figures such as Ithell Colquhoun were in direct contact with the Surrealists in Paris, and later contributed to the expansion of the movement. Colquhoun's paintings, such as Scylla (1938^[1]), offer a female perspective on themes of mythology and the body, something Agar also explored in works such as Angel of Anarchy (1936-40).
• Who influenced Eileen Agar?+

  Eileen Agar's artistic development involved several influences. Early on, she studied under Leon Underwood, whose emphasis on form and direct carving techniques shaped her initial approach to sculpture. Exposure to Cubism and abstraction in the 1920s, particularly the work of artists like Pablo Picasso and Georges Braque, pushed her toward experimentation. Surrealism^[1] became a central influence after Agar met André Breton and Paul Éluard in 1934^[1]. This encounter led her to explore automatic techniques and the unconscious mind as sources of artistic inspiration. Her work from this period reflects Surrealist themes of dreams, the irrational, and the juxtaposition of unexpected images, aligning her with artists such as Salvador Dalí and Max Ernst. Agar's association with Surrealism encouraged her to challenge conventional artistic boundaries. She incorporated collage, mixed media, and unconventional materials into her practice.
• Who was Eileen Agar?+

  Eileen Agar (1899^[1]-1991^[1]) was a British artist associated with Surrealism^[1]. Born in Argentina to British parents, she moved to London as a child. She studied at the Slade School of Fine Art during the 1920s; there, she met Henry Moore and other figures who influenced her artistic development. Agar's work encompassed painting, collage, and object-making. She explored themes of nature, mythology, and the subconscious. Her style blended abstraction with recognisable imagery. "Quadriga", from 1935^[1], and "Angel of Anarchy", a mixed-media head from 1936-40, are well-known examples of her approach. In the mid-1930s, Agar became involved with the British Surrealist Group, participating in the 1936 International Surrealist Exhibition in London. Her work was featured alongside that of Salvador Dalí, Max Ernst, and Joan Miró. Although she maintained links with the Surrealist movement, she developed her own individual artistic vision. Agar continued to produce art throughout her life, experimenting with different techniques and materials. She exhibited regularly in Britain and abroad.
• Why are Eileen Agar's works important today?+

  Zubeida Agha's art is important because she embraced a consistent modernism throughout her career. This opened South Asian Muslim subjectivity to the possibilities of modernist abstraction. Her work encourages a re-evaluation of Islamic aesthetics beyond mere stylistic or thematic borrowings, pushing towards a deeper conceptual understanding. Despite remaining separate from formal art training and bohemian artist circles, Agha was deeply involved in institutional development. From 1961^[1], she served for sixteen years as director of the Rawalpindi Art Gallery, part of the government-supported Society of Contemporary Art. In this role, she tirelessly organised group and solo exhibitions, promoting both established and younger artists. Agha also contributed her personal collection to form the basis of a national art gallery. Her dedication helped shape the development of modern art in the region.