Self-PortaitGeorge Clair Tooker · 1969

  • Creation date1969

George Clair Tooker (1920 – 2011)

Discover George Tooker's haunting figurative paintings exploring urban isolation & modern anxieties. Blending Magic Realism, Social Realism & Surrealism, his work offers a critical perspective on the human condition. National Medal of Arts recipient.

After graduating from Harvard University with a degree in English Literature, George Tooker enrolled at the Art Students League, New York where he studied with painter Reginald Marsh. Marsh encouraged Tooker to work in the painstakingly laborious technique of egg tempera in which pigment is mixed with an egg yolk binder and applied to a gessoed panel. By the mid-1940s Tooker was exhibiting his work professionally and he soon became closely allied with two other representational painters with a similar sensibility, Paul Cadmus and Jared French. As a college student Tooker was particularly taken with Italian Renaissance painting of the quattrocento that he saw at the Fogg Museum of Art at Harvard. Florentine Renaissance painting has continued to influence his work, and served as the inspiration for this self portrait, one of only a handful by the artist. Like many Renaissance self-portraits, Tooker depicts himself at work with brush in hand.

About this artwork

  • Title: Self-Portait
  • Artist: George Clair Tooker
  • Year: 1969
  • Format: Portrait
  • Copyright status: Under copyright
  • Color palette: Earthy
  • Color intensity: Balanced

Questions & Answers

What is the color identity of "Self-Portait" by George Clair Tooker?

"Self-Portait" by George Clair Tooker uses an earthy palette, with gray (#9e937a) as the dominant color.

At what age did George Clair Tooker make "Self-Portait"?

George Clair Tooker was 49 years old when creating "Self-Portait" in 1969. The age is computed from the artist's birth year, 1920.

Who created "Self-Portait" and in what year?

The author of "Self-Portait" is George Clair Tooker, and the work is dated 1969.

Which artist is "Self-Portait" attributed to?

"Self-Portait" was created by George Clair Tooker. The information on this page describes George Clair Tooker's original work.

How light is "Self-Portait" overall?

Overall, "Self-Portait" is recorded as bright. Perceived brightness describes how light or dark the work appears.

What is the dominant hue of "Self-Portait" by George Clair Tooker?

"Self-Portait" leans toward an ochre to sepia tone.

In what year was "Self-Portait" by George Clair Tooker created?

The creation of "Self-Portait" by George Clair Tooker is dated 1969.

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