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): Antonio Barberini • David Hungate • Edmund of Woodstock, 1st Earl of Kent • Eicca Toppinen • Erich Kleiber • Erika Slezak • Gavi (footballer) • Gay Byrne • Kajol • Leonid Kizim • Parley Baer • Patrick Ewing • Pete Sell • Theodore Whitmore

Born in the same month (August 1920): Alex Colville • Augustus Rowe • Brant Parker • Elmar Tampõld • Godfrey Evans • Herb Simpson • James Molyneaux, Baron Molyneaux of Killead • Jimmy Witherspoon • Leo Chiosso • Maureen O'Hara • Neville Brand • Norman Dewis