George Tooker Auction Prices and Value Guide

George Tooker auction prices are tracked in Appraisily's artist market index, with source-directory coverage of 348 records. Use this page to review sold-lot activity, market context, and valuation factors before requesting a formal appraisal.

George Tooker auction prices: quick answer

George Tooker auction prices depend on medium, size, date, condition, provenance, edition details, attribution confidence, and recent comparable auction sales.

Artist
George Tooker
Source records
348
Market update
2026-02-16

George Tooker market snapshot

George Tooker shows deep auction liquidity with 172 tracked lots. Median realized sale is around $800. Category concentration is still broad or sparse. Last 12 months recorded 14 sales. Latest recorded sale: 2025-12-22.

Realized price distribution

  • Under $1,000 (57.6% · 76 sales)
  • $1,000 to $10,000 (31.1% · 41 sales)
  • $10,000+ (11.4% · 15 sales)
Median sale (last 12 months)
$384
Sales recorded (last 12 months)
14
Median shift vs prior year
0.0%
Latest recorded sale
2025-12-22

Artist context

About George Tooker

George Tooker (1920–2011) was an American figurative painter whose carefully rendered, dreamlike compositions explore themes of alienation, bureaucracy, and spirituality. Born in Brooklyn, New York, and educated at Harvard University, the Art Students League of New York, and the Parsons School of Design, Tooker developed a distinctive style rooted in egg tempera on panel—a Renaissance-era medium he favored throughout his career. Critics have associated his work with magic realism and social realism, though Tooker himself described his aim as painting reality impressed on the mind so deeply that it returns as a dream. His paintings are characterized by flat tones, ambiguous perspective, and unsettling juxtapositions that give everyday scenes a haunting quality. Elected to the National Academy of Design in 1968 and a member of the American Academy of Arts and Letters, he received the National Medal of Arts in 2007. He spent much of his later life in Hartland, Vermont.

Social RealismMagic RealismEgg tempera on panelLithographGouacheBureaucratic and institutional settingsReligious and allegorical figuresAlienation and social commentary

Common works and media

Tooker worked primarily in egg tempera on panel, a meticulous medium he used throughout his career. He also produced gouache paintings, graphite and charcoal drawings, and lithographs. Common subjects include figures in bureaucratic or institutional settings—government offices, subway stations, and waiting rooms—as well as religious and allegorical compositions. His lithographs and works on paper appear more frequently at auction than his tempera paintings and can provide an accessible entry point for collectors.

Market and appraisal context

George Tooker's paintings appear at major American art auctions, though his modest total output means works are not abundant. Egg tempera paintings on panel are the most sought-after, followed by gouache works and lithographs. Provenance, condition, subject matter, and date of execution all influence value. Works with strong social-commentary themes or those from recognized periods tend to attract greater collector interest. His institutional recognition, including the National Medal of Arts, supports sustained long-term market standing. Collectors should note that limited output can constrain comparable-sale data for some works.

Auction categories and appraisal factors

Value drivers

  1. Medium: egg tempera paintings on panel command the strongest collector interest; lithographs and works on paper appear more frequently at auction
  2. Subject matter: works with social-commentary themes from his most recognized periods tend to attract greater attention
  3. Rarity: Tooker's relatively modest output—fewer than 200 finished paintings estimated—limits comparable-sale data
  4. Institutional recognition: National Medal of Arts (2007), National Academy of Design membership, and museum holdings support long-term standing
  5. Provenance and exhibition history are important factors in appraisal

Appraisal caveats

  • Tooker's limited total output means auction appearances of major paintings are infrequent; comparable-lot data may be sparse.
  • The source pack for this research did not include direct auction-house records, so specific price-range guidance is not provided.

Evidence

Sources for artist context

This source-grounded artist context passed Appraisily's promotion threshold: high confidence, strong sources.

Source-grounded artist Markdown

Data basis

This page is built from Appraisily's public auction market index. Private transactions, incomplete sale feeds, and attribution changes may not be fully represented.

LLM-readable Markdown summary for George Tooker

LLM summary index · LLM full index

Artist value FAQ

How much is George Tooker worth?

Comparable public auction sales are the best starting point, but final value depends on the specific artwork, condition, size, medium, provenance, and attribution confidence.

Can Appraisily value my George Tooker artwork?

Yes. Appraisily can review photos, dimensions, signatures, condition, provenance, and comparable market data to prepare a current valuation.