在二十世紀初美國抽象表現主義(Abstract Expressionism)盛行的年代裏，強 調題材與内容的藝術創作往往是被漠視的，儘管如此，藝術家喬治•圖克(George Tooker, 1920-2011)，終其一生遵循傳統坦培拉(Tempera)媒材與細腻技法，展現 他獨具神秘性特質的藝術風格，然而，其作品的内涵常常是令人迷惑而且難以理解。
本文擬透過文獻的蒐集、翻譯、分析、對照與研究，再透過心理學、美學、 藝術哲學、藝術社會學及藝術批評學各領域的歸納與評論，去分析圖克如何以 現實影像的「模擬」（simulation)與「鏡像」（mirror image)，反映其内心對現實 的感受，表現人性種種的矛盾與複雜的情感，誘發觀者重新審視人與人、人與 環境的關係，呈現「批判」（critical)特質的思維與辯證，表達其人道救贖與社會 關懷的面向。
經由對圖克的創作研究與分析，我們窺視到藝術家如何透過繪晝，展現上 一世紀紊亂的時代中，美國群眾焦慮不安的心理狀態與社會脈動。並且藉由他 的創作態度、精神與内涵，激發我們更深沉的省思當代藝術創作所應關注的藝 術本質與人文思想，並突破在創作與賞析上只侷限於「和諧與唯美」的迷思， 甚或停留在膚淺的「表象敘述」或「直接再現」。
本文在前言中，以各領域的學理對圖克創作心理與精神予以歸納分析，第 二章則以政經、文化、社會、宗教、情感等因素為橫軸，以時間序為縱軸，劃 分四個時期研究圖克與他的創作，第三章研究分析圖克作品所具有的各項特色， 第四章則是研究的結論。

Art concerned with subject and content produced during the early 20th century was often overshadowed by Abstract Expressionism as the artistic mainstream of that time. Unperturbed by the trend, George Tooker (1920-2011) maintained a lifelong adherence to the use and ingenious techniques of tempera, and generated mysterious works that confuse yet intrigue the viewers.
By collecting, translating, analyzing, contrasting and studying historical documents, and summarizing and commenting with methods spanning from psychoanalysis, aesthetics, art philosophy, art sociology to art criticism, the essay intends to investigate how Tooker reflected his views of reality, revealed the contradictions and complexities of humanity, induced a re-examination of the relationships between human and human, and human the environment, demonstrated a critical, dialectic thinking, and articulated his humanism and social concern by means of simulation and mirror images of reality.
The research and analysis will provide us with a glimpse of how the artist captured in paintings the anxiety of the American crowd and social vicissitudes in the turbulence of the 20th century. Meanwhile, his attitude, spirit, and cultivation have inspired us to probe deeply into the essence of creation and humanism that are the due concern of contemporary art, and go beyond the confines of 'harmony' and 'beauty' that have circumscribed art practices and appreciation, and the shallowness of 'surface description' or 'faithful representation.'
After a survey of the documents in various fields on the psychology and spirit of Tooker's oeuvre in Introduction, Chapter II of the essay proceeds to examine the four periods of his career chronologically from political, economic, cultural, social, religious, and emotional perspectives, and Chapter III offers an analysis of the characteristics of Tooker’s work, before a conclusion is reached in Chapter IV.