Evald Okas (28 November 1915 – 30 April 2011) was an

Estonia Estonia, formally the Republic of Estonia, is a country by the Baltic Sea in Northern Europe. It is bordered to the north by the Gulf of Finland across from Finland, to the west by the sea across from Sweden, to the south by Latvia, a ...

painter Painting is the practice of applying paint, pigment, color or other medium to a solid surface (called the "matrix" or "support"). The medium is commonly applied to the base with a brush, but other implements, such as knives, sponges, and ai ...

, probably best known for his portraits of nudes.

Biography

Okas was born in

Tallinn Tallinn () is the most populous and capital city of Estonia. Situated on a bay in north Estonia, on the shore of the Gulf of Finland of the Baltic Sea, Tallinn has a population of 437,811 (as of 2022) and administratively lies in the Harju ' ...

, where he began his artistic career while studying at the State Art School. With the advent of

World War II World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposin ...

and the Soviet invasion and occupation of Estonia, he was subsequently mobilized into

Soviet The Soviet Union,. officially the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics. (USSR),. was a List of former transcontinental countries#Since 1700, transcontinental country that spanned much of Eurasia from 1922 to 1991. A flagship communist state, ...

army, but, like many other Estonians, moved to work battalions in Kotlas,

Russia Russia (, , ), or the Russian Federation, is a List of transcontinental countries, transcontinental country spanning Eastern Europe and North Asia, Northern Asia. It is the List of countries and dependencies by area, largest country in the ...

.Elle Anupõld, Ikka ainult kunsti pärast. http://www.videvik.ee/503/okas.html When the Soviet officials decided to organize the artistic collectives in the Soviet rear in Yaroslavl, several Estonian artists, including Okas, were provided with an opportunity to leave the work battalions and join the artistic ensembles in 1942. The "Yaroslavl artists", as they came to be known, were also the founding members of the Soviet Estonian Artists Union established in 1943. In Yaroslavl Okas befriended the rather well-known Estonian graphic artist

Aino Bach Aino Bach (1 December 1901 – 6 August 1980) was an Estonian artist known for her engravings and her portrayals of Soviet-era femininity. Biography Aino Bach was born in Koeru, Estonia in 1901. As a child, she lived in Narva, and attended sec ...

and

Richard Sagrits Richard Sagrits (19 December 1910 in Karepa – 11 December 1968 in Tallinn) was an Estonian painter. Sagrits (with Elmar Kits and Evald Okas) painted the ceiling of the Estonian National Opera in the style of Socialist Realism in 1947. His ...

who mentored Okas and helped him hone his skills as an artist. By Soviet regulations, however, all artists were expected to paint in the

Social Realism Social realism is the term used for work produced by painters, printmakers, photographers, writers and filmmakers that aims to draw attention to the real socio-political conditions of the working class as a means to critique the power structure ...

genre. In 1947, Okas, with

Elmar Kits Elmar Kits ( 1913 – 24 March 1972) was an Estonian painter.Ants Juskhttp://www.epl.ee/news/kultuur/elmar-kits-andekas.d?id=51141267/ref> References 1913 births 1972 deaths People from Tartu People from the Governorate of Livonia 20 ...

and Richard Sagrits painted the ceiling of the

Estonian National Opera Estonian National Opera (''Rahvusooper Estonia'') is the national opera company of Estonia. The company is based at the Estonia Theatre in Tallinn. The theatre has had several names throughout its existence. The latest one being "The Estonian Nati ...

in the style of

Socialist Realism Socialist realism is a style of idealized realistic art that was developed in the Soviet Union and was the official style in that country between 1932 and 1988, as well as in other socialist countries after World War II. Socialist realism is ch ...

. By the late 1950s, Evald Okas was working mainly in the medium of charcoals and earning his living by sketching ''

ex libris Ex Libris may refer to: *An Ex Libris (bookplate), a label affixed to a book to indicate ownership *Ex Libris (band), a Dutch metal band *Ex Libris (bookshop), a Swiss retail company * "Ex Libris" (''Charmed''), a 2000 episode of the television ser ...

'' - graphic designs that identify the owner of a book, usually pasted onto the inside cover. Around this time Okas was even given permission to travel; first, within the Soviet Republics, then later worldwide and exhibit works as far afield as Asia and Western Europe. In 1954 he became the professor at the Estonian State Art Institute; in 1962 the corresponding member of the Academy of Arts of the Soviet Union and the full member of the academy in 1975.Artist's biography. http://www.evaldokasemuuseum.ee/okas/elulugu.html Evald Okas lived in Tallinn and was a member of the Estonian Artists’ Association. His son

Jüri Okas Jüri Okas (born 26 August 1950 in Tallinn) is a notable Estonian architect, installation artist and printmaker. From 1957 to 1968 Jüri Okas studied in the 46th Secondary School of Tallinn (today's Pelgulinna Gymnasium of Tallinn). From 1968 ...

is an architect, installation artist and printmaker.

References

References/External links

Haus Galerii Biography
{{DEFAULTSORT:Okas, Evald 1915 births 2011 deaths Artists from Tallinn People from Kreis Harrien Members of the Supreme Soviet of the Estonian Soviet Socialist Republic, 1963–1967 Members of the Supreme Soviet of the Estonian Soviet Socialist Republic, 1967–1971 Ninth convocation members of the Supreme Soviet of the Soviet Union Tenth convocation members of the Soviet of Nationalities 20th-century Estonian painters 20th-century Estonian male artists Estonian illustrators 21st-century Estonian painters Estonian Academy of Arts alumni Soviet military personnel of World War II People's Artists of the USSR (visual arts) People's Artists of the Estonian Soviet Socialist Republic (visual arts) Heroes of Socialist Labour Recipients of the Order of Lenin Recipients of the Order of the White Star, 3rd Class