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Untitled Self-Portrait

Eileen Agar British, born Argentina
ca. 1949
On view at The Met Fifth Avenue in Gallery 911
Working from England, and known for her paintings, objects, and photographs, Agar was associated with Surrealism although she remained apart from the political aspects of the movement. Her work was particularly influenced by automatism, a method of accessing the unconscious mind as part of the creative process. After World War II suspended much of her artmaking, Agar returned to Surrealist experimentation to refresh her thinking. Some of her most striking uses of automatism can be found in a small group of poured paintings in which she used pigments to create portraits in loose outlines, fluid drips, and swirling backgrounds. The lyrical Untitled Self-Portrait is a remarkable example that toggles between abstraction and figuration.

Artwork Details

Object Information
  • Title: Untitled Self-Portrait
  • Artist: Eileen Agar (British, born Buenos Aires 1899–1991 London)
  • Date: ca. 1949
  • Medium: Oil on board
  • Dimensions: 36 × 27 in. (91.4 × 68.6 cm)
  • Classification: Paintings
  • Credit Line: Purchase, Anonymous gift, 2024
  • Object Number: 2024.247
  • Rights and Reproduction: © Eileen Agar Estate
  • Curatorial Department: Modern and Contemporary Art

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Angel of Anarchy
Eileen Agar
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Three Studies for Self-Portrait, Francis Bacon British, born Ireland, Oil on canvas
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