As we celebrate International Women’s Day, it’s essential to acknowledge the achievements of women artists and reflect on the ongoing journey toward gender equality in the art world. Despite their undeniable talent, women have long faced disparities in recognition and financial success. In 2018, MyArtBroker reported that only 24% of the 27,000 artists featured at art fairs were women. By 2022, Forbes estimated the gender pay gap in the art market at an astonishing $192 billion, with works by women accounting for just 2% of total sales value at auction between 2008 and 2019.
However, here at Chiswick Auctions, the Modern British department has seen significant success in the sale of works by female artists. This article celebrates their achievements, exploring their lives, artistic contributions, and the remarkable pieces that have found new homes through our auctions.
Eileen Agar is widely regarded as one of the most adventurous artists of her generation. Born in Buenos Aires, she was sent to England at the age of six to board at Heathfield School, where her teacher, Lucy Kemp-Welch RA, encouraged her to pursue a life in art. In 1929, she traveled to Paris, immersing herself in the world of Surrealism, where she encountered figures such as André Breton and Paul Éluard. Inspired by the movement’s imaginative freedom, Agar explored themes of sensuality, irrationality, and the subconscious. However, Surrealism was often unkind to women. Despite the talents of Dorothea Tanning, Leonora Carrington, and others, female surrealists were frequently overshadowed by their male counterparts. Nevertheless Agar refused to conform, forging her own artistic path and challenging conventional norms.
In 1933, she held her first solo exhibition at the Bloomsbury Gallery. She joined the London Group the following year, and in 1934, while spending a summer in Swanage, she met and fell in love with Paul Nash. Inspired by Dada and Surrealist concepts, Agar embraced the idea of the found object, repurposing discarded and overlooked materials into striking new forms. This approach led to works such as Seashore Monster at Swanage (c. 1936), a photomontage created with Nash.
One of her standout paintings, A Sea Change (1958), exemplifies her dynamic style. The composition was built through an inverted method, layering colours before applying the aquamarine background to dictate form and movement. The influence of Henry Moore and Henri Matisse is evident in the fluid, abstract human-like figures that dance across the canvas. Deep blues and sea greens, signature hues of Agar’s work, convey the richness of the subconscious, while bursts of orange and arsenical green add vibrancy. A Sea Change was featured in Agar’s major retrospective at the Commonwealth Institute in 1971, alongside Rite of Spring (1971), which set a world auction record for the artist when it sold for £81,900 at Christie’s in 2022. Her work is now held in prestigious institutions, including MoMA (New York), the Peggy Guggenheim Collection (Venice), the National Galleries of Scotland, Tate Modern (London), the Victoria & Albert Museum (London), and Pallant House Gallery (Chichester). In 2023, A Sea Change was sold at Chiswick Auctions for £32,500, a testament to Agar’s lasting influence and growing market appeal.
Mary Fedden was a celebrated Modern British painter, printmaker, and illustrator known for her bold use of colour and whimsical compositions. Born in Bristol to a family of surgeons, she harboured a passion for painting from an early age. At sixteen, she left Badminton School to study at the Slade School of Art in London, where she trained under the designer Vladimir Polunin, who had worked with the Ballets Russes. After graduating, she briefly worked on set designs for Sadler’s Wells Theatre before returning to Bristol, where she painted portraits and taught art. During World War II, Fedden served in the Land Army and Women’s Voluntary Service before being called up in 1944 to work as a driver for the Navy, Army, and Air Force Institutes (NAAFI). Following the war, she settled in London, working as a stage painter for the Arts Theatre in Great Newport Street while producing propaganda murals. However, her true passion lay in easel painting, and by 1946, she had returned to full-time artistic practice. Her first solo exhibition at the Mansard Gallery in Heal’s Department Store featured a series of still-life flower paintings, marking the beginning of her long and successful career.
Fedden moved to Durham Wharf on the Thames in Chiswick at the end of the 1940s, where she lived and worked until her passing. Her connection to the area was deeply ingrained in her work, as she frequently drew inspiration from her surroundings, from the view from her window, still-life arrangements, and the natural beauty of the river. Her art captured the delicate balance between the familiar comforts of home and the excitement of distant travels, often incorporating motifs from her journeys with her husband, the artist Julian Trevelyan.
Her 1997 painting The Offering is a prime example of her signature style, featuring a striking still-life arrangement with exotic flowers in vibrant hues. The warm, earthy tones contrast with rich blues, oranges, and purples, creating a composition that feels both intimate and expansive. Her second work sold at Chiswick Auctions, The Fish Pot, similarly embodies her unique ability to merge domestic charm with a sense of wanderlust. The Fish Pot sold at Chiswick Auctions in 2023 for £23,750 and in 2024, The Offering sold for £19,530. Fedden was widely recognised for her contributions to British art, receiving an OBE in 1997. Her works remain highly sought after, reflecting her enduring influence on the Modern British art scene.
Helen Bradley was a British artist celebrated for her nostalgic and whimsical depictions of early 20th-century life in Lancashire. Her paintings, rich with warmth and storytelling, vividly capture the charm and simplicity of a bygone era. Born in Lees, Lancashire, Bradley discovered her love for painting at a young age. However, it wasn’t until the 1960s that she gained widespread recognition. Her distinctive style, characterised by soft colours, delicate brushwork, and a narrative quality, transported viewers back to childhood memories and village life in the early 1900s.
Bradley’s work often features children, countryside landscapes, and intimate domestic scenes, all infused with a sense of nostalgia. One of her most famous pieces, The Visit of the Tooth Fairy, beautifully illustrates a child’s anticipation of the magical visitor, capturing the innocence and wonder of youth. Her popularity soared in the 1970s, with her paintings exhibited across Britain and widely reproduced as prints, making her art more accessible to the public. Though she passed away in 1979, Bradley’s legacy endures and her enchanting paintings continue to captivate collectors and admirers, preserving the essence of a simpler time.
On Saturday Evenings Mother Sang is a quintessential example of her storytelling artistry, blending delicate brushwork, soft hues, and a deeply personal narrative. Her handwritten inscription brings the scene to life, recounting a moment of family joy and tradition in 1906, infused with her signature wit and sentimentality. Sold at Chiswick Auctions in 2023 for £36,250, this exceptional piece is a testament to Bradley’s enduring appeal and unique storytelling legacy.
Mary Potter was an English painter known for her restrained palette and delicate use of colour. After studying at the Slade School of Fine Art, she quickly established herself in the London art scene, exhibiting by the early 1920s. As her career progressed, particularly from the 1950s onward, her work became increasingly abstract, garnering wider recognition. Potter’s art often reflected the world just outside her window, whether in The Window, Chiswick (1929) or Chiswick Mall (1930s). Her soft, inviting palette draws viewers into familiar, intimate spaces, capturing a quiet sense of warmth. Many of her paintings depict views from her Chiswick home, inviting us to see the world as she did, through the perspective of an observer, looking outward.
One such example is Bandstand, a work that encapsulates many of Potter’s signature elements. Blending interior viewpoints with coastal scenery, she uses thick, expressive paint and muted tones to infuse a landscape with abstraction. This approach remained constant throughout her career. Later in life, her focus shifted to the coastal landscapes of Aldeburgh, Suffolk, where she lived for many years. Much like her London scenes, these paintings reflect her deep connection to the places she called home. Bandstand sold for £24,275 at Chiswick Auctions in 2023.
Throughout her career, Potter moved within notable artistic circles. In London, she was briefly associated with the Seven and Five Society and exhibited with the New English Art Club (NEAC). The 1930s saw her holding solo exhibitions at the Leicester Galleries, Redfern Gallery, and New Art Centre. Her influence was further cemented in 1964 with a traveling retrospective at Whitechapel Art Gallery, Mary Potter Paintings 1938–1964, which showcased a range of her work. Potter’s ability to distill the essence of a scene into subtle tones and textures remains a defining aspect of her legacy. Whether capturing the gentle light over Chiswick or the windswept beauty of the Suffolk coast, her paintings continue to invite viewers into moments of quiet reflection.
Dorothea Sharp was a British artist celebrated for her vibrant landscapes and naturalistic depictions of children at play. Born in Dartford, Kent, she was the eldest of five children and christened Lydia Mary, though she preferred to be known as Dorothea. Her artistic journey began at the age of 21 when she inherited £100 from an uncle, allowing her to study at Richmond Art School under C. E. Johnson RI. She later continued her training at the Regent Street Polytechnic, where her talent caught the attention of esteemed artists George Clausen and David Murray. A transformative period in her career came when she traveled to Paris and encountered the work of the Impressionists, particularly Claude Monet. This exposure profoundly influenced her approach, leading to the spontaneous, light-filled style that would define her work.
Sharp quickly gained recognition within the art world. In 1903, she became an Associate of the Society of Women Artists, achieving full membership in 1908 and later serving as vice president for four years. She was elected a member of the Royal Society of British Artists in 1907 and joined the Royal Institute of Oil Painters in 1922. Between 1901 and 1948, she exhibited frequently at The Royal Academy, solidifying her reputation as a leading figure in British art. Her first solo exhibition, held at the Connell Gallery in 1933, was met with critical acclaim. Harold Sawkins, editor of The Artist, hailed her as "one of England's greatest living women painters." Today, her work continues to be celebrated for its luminous colour, dynamic brushwork, and joyful depictions of childhood and nature.
Sharp beautifully captures the carefree joy of childhood in Children Paddling. The artist’s signature impressionistic brushwork and vibrant palette bring this charming seaside scene to life, showcasing her ability to render atmosphere and spontaneity with remarkable skill. Of particular note, this piece features an additional work painted on the reverse, offering further insight into Sharp’s creative process. Sold at Chiswick Auctions in 2024 for £10,710, this delightful painting reaffirms Sharp’s enduring appeal and the timeless charm of her work.
The success of artists such as the ones highlighted above, reflects the growing recognition of female artists in the art market. While historical inequalities persist, these sales demonstrate a positive shift, acknowledging the talent, innovation, and artistic contributions of women who have shaped modern British art. As we celebrate International Women’s Day, it is vital to continue championing female artists, both past and present, ensuring their work receives the recognition and appreciation it deserves. Here at Chiswick Auctions, we are proud to play a role in preserving and promoting the legacies of these remarkable women. We are delighted to feature several works by Mary Fedden in our upcoming Modern British & Irish Art Auction on 27th March 2025.
Among the highlights are a selection of her signature still-life paintings, showcasing vibrant arrangements of fruits and flowers, as well as a charming scene of a picnic under moonlight. Fedden’s distinctive use of bold colour and playful composition makes these works a must-see for collectors and admirers alike.