Council of Heads of Australasian Herbaria Australian National Herbarium Biographical Notes

Hagman, Agard (fl. 1885 - 1891)

Agard Hagman was commissioned by the Museum of Applied Arts and Sciences [now Powerhouse Museum] to paint a series of botanical illustrations of economic plants in the 1880s. Hagman was a civil engineer who came to Australia from Sweden in 1885 on board the ship 'Sorata'. He returned to Sweden in 1891. He is registered as working at Tattersall's Chambers, Hunter Street in the Sands Directory, 1888. Hagman provided both engineering and botanical drawings to the Museum.

A selection of Hagman’s drawings were exhibited at the Colonial International Exhibition, 1888 in Melbourne. A note in the New South Wales Catalogue of Exhibitions states:

"Each drawing is 3 ft. 3 in by 2 ft 2 in., and is framed and glazed. Scale, three times natural size. In each case the fullest information (in large bold type) is affixed to the drawings themselves. In all cases the drawings have been made from fresh flowering or fruiting specimens, under the immediate supervision of the Curator [Joseph Maiden], who certifies to their botanical correctness".

Some paintings are signed 'Ag. Hagman ad nat', and have letterpress captions printed on the painting.

Examples:

Syncarpia laurifolia (now Syncarpia glomulifera)
Xylomelum pyriforme




Source: Extracted from: database and website of the Powerhouse Museum, Sydney (http://www.powerhousemuseum.com/insidethecollection/2013/06/botanical-illustration-from-the-early-museum/) 2014.