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| In the Summer House 24" x 24" egg tempera 1958 George Tooker Collection: National Museum of American Art, Washington, D.C. |
I wasn't much aware of his work while I was a student at R.I.S.D. in the l960's, except for the iconic subway painting that's at the Whitney (pasted below). That was the only one I knew about back then, and it's not a favorite of mine. Later on, in the late 1970's and early 1980's, every now and then someone would bring him up, saying there were similarities between his and my work, and I started to pay more attention to his paintings. By then, however, I was already well on the road I've been traveling, so he was never an influence on me, though I've liked and very much admired his work. My only negative criticism is that the narrative is too obviously social commentary at times ... like in the subway painting. I don't care much for paintings with an overt political or social message. That aside, his paintings are truly excellent, beautifully composed and painted, subtle colors.
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| The Subway 18" x 36" egg tempera 1950 George Tooker Collection: Whitney Museum of Art, New York |
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