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Eileen Agar
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? Lee Miller Archives, England 2010. All rights reserved.

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Eileen Agar 1937
Eileen Agar was a British surrealist artist who was close friends with Lee Miller?s partner, Roland Penrose. Penrose had included her work in the 1936 `International Surrealist Exhibition? in London. The following year Miller took several photographs of Agar, of which this is one. It features the artist alongside `The Golden Tooth?; an antique, carved wooden figure of a household god, found by Agar and the Hungarian writer, Joseph Bard, in a junkshop in 1929. The figure was subsequently painted blue and decorated by the artist.

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Surrealism

A literary and artistic movement founded by the poet André Breton in 1924. Many of the associated artists, such as Max Ernst and Jean Arp, had previously been involved with Dadaism. The movement sought to challenge conventions through the exploration of the subconscious mind, invoking the power of dreams and elements of chance. Cultural hierarchies were challenged by the combination of diverse elements in collages and sculptural assemblages. The movement is also notable for the collaborations between artists and writers evident in the Surrealists' many publications.

Surrealism

Details

  • Acc. No. GMA 4983
  • Medium Black and white photograph (posthumous)
  • Size Paper size: 38.20 x 29.70 cm; image size: 30.30 x 23.20 cm
  • Credit Purchased with help from the Patrons of the National Galleries of Scotland 2007

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