Egg Tempera
Egg tempera is a traditional paint made by combining pigment with an egg-yolk binder and water. It dries quickly in thin layers and is normally used on a rigid, smooth, absorbent ground rather than a flexible painting support.
Painter
George Tooker
George Tooker was an American painter known for egg tempera scenes of offices, subways, waiting rooms, and other modern spaces, often centered on isolation and social tension.
Related: Paul Cadmus · Robert Vickrey
George Tooker quick facts
Review key details about George Tooker's life, career, American realist practice, major subjects, and the egg-tempera methods and social themes that shaped his work.
| Born | 1920 · New York City, U.S. |
|---|---|
| Died | 2011 · Hartland, Vermont, U.S. |
| Nationality | American |
| Paint medium | Egg tempera |
| Approach | Thin, carefully built tempera layers over rigid prepared supports |
| Common subjects | Urban interiors, bureaucracy, public transit, crowds, waiting, social isolation, and psychological tension |
| Notable works | The Subway, Government Bureau, The Waiting Room, and Landscape with Figures III |
Sources: Smithsonian American Art Museum, The Met: Government Bureau, and Whitney Museum of American Art.
Paint types used
See the paint types documented in Tooker's work, with links to PaintZeal references explaining each medium's properties, uses, and working characteristics.
Surface types used
See the surface types documented in Tooker's work, with links to PaintZeal references explaining how each support behaves and is prepared for painting.
Painting Board
Painting board is a rigid artist support made from hardboard, wood, or another stable panel material. It may be sold raw or prepared with a medium-specific ground layer.