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Eileen Forrester Agar (1899 – 1991) was a British painter and photographer who became a leading figure of Surrealism in Britain during the 1930’s. She was the only British female artist to display her work in the 1936 International Surrealist Exhibition in London alongside works by Salvador Dalí, Marcel Duchamp and Pablo Picasso.

This collection of photographs, presented by the artist along with their copyright to Tate in 1989, were taken by Eileen Agar, her husband Joseph Bard and their friends, and covers an array of subject matter. They include photographs from Eileen's trips to France, Tenerife, Rome and Venice as well as photographs of other artists and surrealists such as Pablo Picasso, Roland Penrose, Man Ray and Paul Éluard.

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MB9252 © Tate Images | Photograph of swans behind a fence. Possibly taken at Dears' house in Sussex.

Photograph of swans behind a fence. Possibly taken at Dears' house in Sussex.

Eileen Agar
1899-1991

MB9252

MB9254 © Tate Images | Photograph of a horse and carriage. Taken in Sorrento, Italy.

Photograph of a horse and carriage. Taken in Sorrento, Italy.

Eileen Agar
1899-1991

MB9254

MB9256 © Tate Images | Photograph of a bird in a cage entitled, 'The caged bird sings'. Taken near Puerto de la Cruz, Tenerife.

Photograph of a bird in a cage entitled, 'The caged bird sings'. Taken near Puerto de la Cruz, Tenerife.

Eileen Agar
1899-1991

MB9256

MB9258 © Tate Images | Photograph of Pico the monkey sitting on a fence. Taken at Sitio Litre, Puerto de la Cruz, Tenerife.

Photograph of Pico the monkey sitting on a fence. Taken at Sitio Litre, Puerto de la Cruz, Tenerife.

Eileen Agar
1899-1991

MB9258

MB9261 © Tate Images | Photograph of Pico the monkey looking up. Taken at Sitio Litre, Puerto de la Cruz, Tenerife.

Photograph of Pico the monkey looking up. Taken at Sitio Litre, Puerto de la Cruz, Tenerife.

Eileen Agar
1899-1991

MB9261

MB9264 © Tate Images | Photograph of Pico the monkey sitting against a tree on a roof. Taken at Sitio Litre, Puerto de la Cruz, Tenerife.

Photograph of Pico the monkey sitting against a tree on a roof. Taken at Sitio Litre, Puerto de la Cruz, Tenerife.

Eileen Agar
1899-1991

MB9264

MB9267 © Tate Images | Photograph of a man feeding seagulls. Possibly taken in Tenby.

Photograph of a man feeding seagulls. Possibly taken in Tenby.

Eileen Agar
1899-1991

MB9267

MB9268 © Tate Images | Photograph of a hand feeding seagulls. Possibly taken in Tenby.

Photograph of a hand feeding seagulls. Possibly taken in Tenby.

Eileen Agar
1899-1991

MB9268

MB9270 © Tate Images | Photograph entitled, 'Portrait of seagull'. Possibly taken in Tenby.

Photograph entitled, 'Portrait of seagull'. Possibly taken in Tenby.

Eileen Agar
1899-1991

MB9270

MB9271 © Tate Images | Photograph of a seagull entitled, 'The watching gull'

Photograph of a seagull entitled, 'The watching gull'

Eileen Agar
1899-1991

MB9271

MB9279 © Tate Images | Photograph of cows running. Possibly taken in Somerset.

Photograph of cows running. Possibly taken in Somerset.

Eileen Agar
1899-1991

MB9279

MB9282 © Tate Images | Photograph of ponies in a field

Photograph of ponies in a field

Eileen Agar
1899-1991

MB9282

MB9283 © Tate Images | Photograph of a seagull perched on a wall. Possibly taken in Cornwall.

Photograph of a seagull perched on a wall. Possibly taken in Cornwall.

Eileen Agar
1899-1991

MB9283

MB9296 © Tate Images | Photograph of statues in the Roman baths in Bath

Photograph of statues in the Roman baths in Bath

Eileen Agar
1899-1991

MB9296

MB9299 © Tate Images | Photograph of statues in the Roman baths in Bath

Photograph of statues in the Roman baths in Bath

Eileen Agar
1899-1991

Joseph Bard
1882-1975

MB9299

MB9307 © Tate Images | Photograph of Bodiam castle, East Sussex

Photograph of Bodiam castle, East Sussex

Eileen Agar
1899-1991

MB9307

MB9308 © Tate Images | Photograph of Bodiam castle, East Sussex

Photograph of Bodiam castle, East Sussex

Eileen Agar
1899-1991

MB9308

MB9310 © Tate Images | Photograph of the ruins of Midhurst Priory in Sussex

Photograph of the ruins of Midhurst Priory in Sussex

Eileen Agar
1899-1991

MB9310

MB9312 © Tate Images | Photograph of 'The Bridge House' in Ambleside, Cumbria

Photograph of 'The Bridge House' in Ambleside, Cumbria

Eileen Agar
1899-1991

MB9312

MB9316 © Tate Images | Photograph of the Baths of Caracalla in Rome behind a fence

Photograph of the Baths of Caracalla in Rome behind a fence

Eileen Agar
1899-1991

MB9316

MB9342 © Tate Images | Photograph possibly taken at the Roman amphitheatre, Nîmes, France

Photograph possibly taken at the Roman amphitheatre, Nîmes, France

Eileen Agar
1899-1991

MB9342

MB9343 © Tate Images | Photograph of an amphitheatre, possibly in Nimes, France

Photograph of an amphitheatre, possibly in Nimes, France

Eileen Agar
1899-1991

MB9343

MB9344 © Tate Images | Photograph of cloisters, possibly in Nimes, France

Photograph of cloisters, possibly in Nimes, France

Eileen Agar
1899-1991

MB9344

MB9348 © Tate Images | Photograph of a church in Tenerife. Possibly taken in Puerto de la Cruz.

Photograph of a church in Tenerife. Possibly taken in Puerto de la Cruz.

Eileen Agar
1899-1991

MB9348

MB9354 © Tate Images | Photograph of Sitio Litre: rear garden view. Taken in Puerto de la Cruz, Tenerife.

Photograph of Sitio Litre: rear garden view. Taken in Puerto de la Cruz, Tenerife.

Eileen Agar
1899-1991

MB9354

MB9360 © Tate Images | Photograph of a cottage, possibly at Gurnard's Head, Cornwall

Photograph of a cottage, possibly at Gurnard's Head, Cornwall

Eileen Agar
1899-1991

MB9360

MB9363 © Tate Images | Photograph of a thatched-roof cottage and its front garden entitled, 'Facade'. Possibly taken in Somerset.

Photograph of a thatched-roof cottage and its front garden entitled, 'Facade'. Possibly taken in Somerset.

Eileen Agar
1899-1991

MB9363

MB9367 © Tate Images | Photograph of a thatched-roof cottage entitled, 'Facade'. Possibly taken in Somerset.

Photograph of a thatched-roof cottage entitled, 'Facade'. Possibly taken in Somerset.

Eileen Agar
1899-1991

MB9367

MB9373 © Tate Images | Photograph of the cliff top clock tower in Lisbon, Portugal

Photograph of the cliff top clock tower in Lisbon, Portugal

Eileen Agar
1899-1991

MB9373

MB9385 © Tate Images | Photograph of a stone bridge possibly in Hastings

Photograph of a stone bridge possibly in Hastings

Eileen Agar
1899-1991

MB9385

MB9387 © Tate Images | Photograph of a painting entitled, 'The autobiography of an embryo'. Photograph was taken in Braham Gardens Studio, London.

Photograph of a painting entitled, 'The autobiography of an embryo'. Photograph was taken in Braham Gardens Studio, London.

Eileen Agar
1899-1991

MB9387

MB9388 © Tate Images | Photograph of a figurehead by a harbour. Taken in Charmouth, Dorset.

Photograph of a figurehead by a harbour. Taken in Charmouth, Dorset.

Eileen Agar
1899-1991

MB9388

MB9416 © Tate Images | Photograph of W.J. Watts, Bootmaker's sign outside a shop. Possibly taken in Bath.

Photograph of W.J. Watts, Bootmaker's sign outside a shop. Possibly taken in Bath.

Eileen Agar
1899-1991

MB9416

MB9421 © Tate Images | Photograph entitled, 'Two surreal birds making water (II)'. Possibly taken in Mougins, France.

Photograph entitled, 'Two surreal birds making water (II)'. Possibly taken in Mougins, France.

Eileen Agar
1899-1991

MB9421

MB9423 © Tate Images | Photograph of a winch in a harbour with boats. Taken in Stockholm.

Photograph of a winch in a harbour with boats. Taken in Stockholm.

Eileen Agar
1899-1991

MB9423

MB9427 © Tate Images | Photograph of a Roman tiled floor

Photograph of a Roman tiled floor

Eileen Agar
1899-1991

MB9427

MB9436 © Tate Images | Photograph of a basin. Possibly taken at Bramham Gardens Studio, London.

Photograph of a basin. Possibly taken at Bramham Gardens Studio, London.

Eileen Agar
1899-1991

MB9436

MB9490 © Tate Images | Photograph of Eileen Agar and Joseph Bard. Possibly taken in Bridport, Dorset.

Photograph of Eileen Agar and Joseph Bard. Possibly taken in Bridport, Dorset.

Photographer Unknown

MB9490

MB9499 © Tate Images | Photograph of [Eileen Agar and Dora Maar] at Hotel Vaste Horizon, Mougins, France

Photograph of [Eileen Agar and Dora Maar] at Hotel Vaste Horizon, Mougins, France

Photographer Unknown

MB9499

MB9500 © Tate Images | Photograph of Joseph Bard and Eileen Agar. Possibly taken near Bridport.

Photograph of Joseph Bard and Eileen Agar. Possibly taken near Bridport.

David Dear

MB9500

MB9540 © Tate Images | Photograph of Catherine de Villiers and Princess Dilkusha de Rohan getting into a river in Sussex for a swim

Photograph of Catherine de Villiers and Princess Dilkusha de Rohan getting into a river in Sussex for a swim

Eileen Agar
1899-1991

MB9540

MB9551 © Tate Images | Photograph of Valentine Penrose and Maud Westerdahl. Taken in Sitio Litre, Puerto de la Cruz, Tenerife.

Photograph of Valentine Penrose and Maud Westerdahl. Taken in Sitio Litre, Puerto de la Cruz, Tenerife.

Eileen Agar
1899-1991

MB9551

MB9552 © Tate Images | Photograph of Valentine Penrose and Maud Westerdahl. Taken in Sitio Litre, Puerto de la Cruz, Tenerife.

Photograph of Valentine Penrose and Maud Westerdahl. Taken in Sitio Litre, Puerto de la Cruz, Tenerife.

Eileen Agar
1899-1991

MB9552

MB9553 © Tate Images | Photograph of Eduardo and Maud Westerdahl standing next to a palm tree. Taken in Sitio Litre, Puerto de la Cruz, Tenerife.

Photograph of Eduardo and Maud Westerdahl standing next to a palm tree. Taken in Sitio Litre, Puerto de la Cruz, Tenerife.

Eileen Agar
1899-1991

MB9553

MB9554 © Tate Images | Photograph of Eduardo and Maud Westerdahl. Taken in Sitio Litre, Puerto de la Cruz, Tenerife.

Photograph of Eduardo and Maud Westerdahl. Taken in Sitio Litre, Puerto de la Cruz, Tenerife.

Eileen Agar
1899-1991

MB9554

MB9561 © Tate Images | Photograph of Juan Fernando and Mollie Gordon taken in Puerto de la Cruz, Tenerife. Juan Fernando was a Spanish friend of Mollie Gordon's.

Photograph of Juan Fernando and Mollie Gordon taken in Puerto de la Cruz, Tenerife. Juan Fernando was a Spanish friend of Mollie Gordon's.

Eileen Agar
1899-1991

MB9561

MB9562 © Tate Images | Photograph of Joseph Bard and Mollie Gordon taken in Puerto de la Cruz, Tenerife

Photograph of Joseph Bard and Mollie Gordon taken in Puerto de la Cruz, Tenerife

Eileen Agar
1899-1991

MB9562

MB9563 © Tate Images | Photograph of Eileen Agar with Mollie Gordon and two other people at a seaside café in Tenerife

Photograph of Eileen Agar with Mollie Gordon and two other people at a seaside café in Tenerife

Joseph Bard
1882-1975

MB9563

MB9564 © Tate Images | Photograph of Eileen Agar and Joseph Bard with Mollie Gordon and another friend. Taken at a seaside cafÚ in Tenerife.

Photograph of Eileen Agar and Joseph Bard with Mollie Gordon and another friend. Taken at a seaside cafÚ in Tenerife.

Photographer Unknown

MB9564

MB9565 © Tate Images | Photograph of Joseph Bard with Mollie Gordon and two other people outside a seaside café in Tenerife

Photograph of Joseph Bard with Mollie Gordon and two other people outside a seaside café in Tenerife

Eileen Agar
1899-1991

MB9565