Eileen Agar (1899-1991), Painter

Sitter in 4 portraits
Artist of 2 portraits
Born in Buenos Aires of Scottish descent, Agar moved to London in 1909. In 1920 she went to Leon Underwood's Brook Green School of Art and subsequently the Slade School 1922-6. She married a fellow student, but in 1926 met Joseph Bard, whom she married in 1940. In 1931 Agar financed and Bard edited The Island, whose four issues were a manifesto of the Underwood School. Agar was the only British woman included in the International Surrealists Exhibition, 1936, showing assemblages Ceremonial Hat(1936), and Angel of Anarchy (1937; 1940-3, Tate Britain). She spent summer 1937 at Mougins with Picasso, Man Ray and others, and later had an affair with Paul Nash.