George Tooker

George Clair Tooker, Jr. was an American figurative painter. His works are associated with Magic realism, Social realism, Photorealism, and Surrealism. His subjects are depicted naturally as in a photograph, but the images use flat tones, an ambiguous perspective, and alarming juxtapositions to suggest an imagined or dreamed reality. He did not agree with the association of his work with Magic realism or Surrealism, as he said, "I am after painting reality impressed on the mind so hard that it returns as a dream, but I am not after painting dreams as such, or fantasy." In 1968, he was elected to the National Academy of Design and was a member of the American Academy of Arts and Letters. Tooker was one of nine recipients of the National Medal of Arts in 2007.

5 August 1920

Born on the same birth day (5 August): Anthony Edwards (basketball) • Bruce Coslet • Darren Shahlavi • David Baldacci • Friedrich August Kummer • Horace Rawlins • Jeff Robson • John Jarratt • Justin Marshall • Kim Gevaert • Louis Wain • Marians Pahars • Patrick Ewing • Pete Burns • Ruth Sawyer • Samantha Sang • Terri Clark • Tom Drake • Ulla Salzgeber • Vitus Bering • Woodz

Born in the same month (August 1920): Alex Colville • Baptiste Manzini • Bob Kennedy • Brant Parker • Charles Bukowski • Charlie Parker • Denton Cooley • Elmar Tampõld • Godfrey Evans • Herb Simpson • James Molyneaux, Baron Molyneaux of Killead • John Graves (author) • Lida Moser • Louis Pauwels • Max Fatchen • Mike Douglas • Norman Dewis • Otis Boykin • Percy Mayfield • Raul Renter • Ray Bradbury