Copied
George Tooker, The Waiting Room, 1959, egg tempera on wood, 24 x 30 in. (61.0 x 76.2 cm.), Smithsonian American Art Museum, Gift of S.C. Johnson & Son, Inc., 1969.47.43
Copied
Artwork Details
- Title
- The Waiting Room
- Artist
- Date
- 1959
- Location
- Dimensions
- 24 x 30 in. (61.0 x 76.2 cm.)
- Credit Line
- Gift of S.C. Johnson & Son, Inc.
- Mediums
- Mediums Description
- egg tempera on wood
- Classifications
- Subjects
- Figure group
- Recreation — leisure — reading
- State of being — other — sleep
- State of being — other — waiting
- Architecture Interior — civic — railroad station
- Object Number
- 1969.47.43
Artwork Description
George Tooker grew frustrated with the bureaucracy while trying to obtain building permits for a house he bought in New York. He painted several images that show “faceless” government workers and run-down people getting nowhere (Garver, George Tooker, 1985). The clinical interior of The Waiting Room evokes the conformity of the 1950s and emphasizes the pale, drawn expressions on the figures. The people stand in numbered boxes, evoking ideas of standardization that force people into predefined categories. The man on the left appears to be in charge of the “sorting,” creating a sinister view of government scrutiny.
Exhibitions
October 1, 2021–May 18, 2025
Artist to Artist features paired artworks, each representing two figures whose trajectories intersected at a creatively crucial moment, whether as student and teacher, professional allies, or friends.