Evald Okas
Evald Okas (28 November 1915 – 30 April 2011) was an Estonian painter, probably best known for his portraits of nudes.
Evald Okas
- Born
- 1915 · Tallinn.
- Died
- 2011 · Tallinn.
- Nationality
- Estonia · United Kingdom
- Occupation
- painter · printmaker · politician · art educator · artist · exlibrist
- Fields
- socialist realism
- Education
- Estonian Academy of Arts
- Honours
- Order of Lenin · Hero of Socialist Labour · Order of the October Revolution · People's Painter of the USSR · Order of the Red Banner of Labour · Medal Veteran of Labour
- Languages
- Estonian
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Documentary summary
Evald Okas (28 November 1915 – 30 April 2011) was an Estonian painter, probably best known for his portraits of nudes.
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Note VALÉORINE
Evald Okas (1915–2011) was an Estonian and British art educator, artist and exlibrist, among other activities. The art educator was born and died in Tallinn.
Evald Okas studied at Estonian Academy of Arts. The art educator worked for Estonian Academy of Arts. Evald Okas was active in socialist realism.
Genres include portrait. Languages used include Estonian. Works by the art educator are held at Art Museum of Estonia, Finnish National Gallery and Huis van het boek, among others. Evald Okas received Hero of Socialist Labour, Order of Lenin and Order of the October Revolution, among others.
Composed from admitted, traceable facts · 26 September 2026
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wikidata · Q3742432 · wikipedia · Evald Okas
In this article
Biography
Biography
Evald Okas studied at Estonian Academy of Arts. The recorded working language is Estonian. The field of work recorded is socialist realism. Subjects and genres recorded for the work are portrait. Employment is recorded with Estonian Academy of Arts. Positions recorded include deputy of the Supreme Soviet of the Soviet Union. Work by Evald Okas is recorded in the collections of Art Museum of Estonia, Finnish National Gallery, National Gallery of Armenia and Huis van het boek. Distinctions recorded are Order of Lenin, Hero of Socialist Labour, Order of the October Revolution and People's Painter of the USSR.
Okas was born in Tallinn, where he began his artistic career while studying at the State Art School. With the advent of World War II and the Soviet invasion and occupation of Estonia, he was subsequently mobilized into Soviet army, but, like many other Estonians, moved to work battalions in Kotlas, Russia.[1] 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.[2] 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 and Richard Sagrits, who mentored Okas and helped him hone his skills as an artist. By Soviet regulations, however, all artists were expected to paint in the socialist realism genre. In 1947, Okas, with Elmar Kits and Richard Sagrits painted the ceiling of the Estonian National Opera in the style of socialist realism.[3] By the late 1950s, Evald Okas was working mainly in the medium of charcoals and earning his living by sketching ex libris - 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.[4] Evald Okas lived in Tallinn and was a member of the Estonian Artists’ Association. His son Jüri Okas is an architect, installation artist and printmaker.
Career and activity
Career and activity
Evald Okas worked in socialist realism. He was employed by Estonian Academy of Arts. Recorded position is deputy of the Supreme Soviet of the Soviet Union.
Identity
Identity
Evald Okas is recorded as having received Order of Lenin, Hero of Socialist Labour and Order of the October Revolution.
Life and career
Dated record
Life and career
Explore 1915–2011
The full dated record · 7 entries
1915
Evald Okas was born in 1915 at Tallinn.
1962
Eesti NSV Rahvakunstnik professor Evald Okas eksliibrised, 1932-1962 (1962) is digitised and catalogued by Open Library.
Undated
Eesti NSV Rahvakunstnik professor Evald Okas eksliibrised, 1932-1962 digitised by Open Library.
1977
Evald Okas (2 catalogued editions) (1977) is digitised and catalogued by Open Library.
1986
Eksliibris ja Evald Okas (1986) is digitised and catalogued by Open Library.
1986
Eksliibris ja Evald Okas digitised by Open Library.
2011
Evald Okas died in 2011 at Tallinn.
Where the work is held
Recognition and collections
Evald Okas received Order of Lenin, Hero of Socialist Labour, Order of the October Revolution, People's Painter of the USSR, Order of the Red Banner of Labour and Medal "Veteran of Labour".
Literature
Scholarly footprint
A count of publications is evidence of attention, not of standing, and is given here only as a measure.
References ==== References/External links
References ==== References/External links
• Haus Galerii Biography
Notes from the source article
Cited by Wikipedia
Notes from the source article
These works are cited by the source article, in its own numbering. They are recorded as its citations, not as sources VALÉORINE has verified.
- 1.Elle Anupõld, Ikka ainult kunsti pärast. http://www.videvik.ee/503/okas.html
- 2.Teet Veispak, Uue tee algus: Evald Okas ja Jaroslavl. Sirp, 07 Oct 2005.
- 3."Estonia laemaal – sisult sotsialistlik, vormilt rahvuslik "
- 4.Artist's biography. http://www.evaldokasemuuseum.ee/okas/elulugu.html
References
Citations
References
Each reference names the institution holding it, so a reader may go to the document itself.
reference work
Partially resolvedreference work
Partially resolved
The Encyclopedia exists whether or not anything is for sale. Corrections are recorded rather than overwritten, and every version of this record is kept. Published 14 August 2026.
Elsewhere in Paintings
19,065 published records in this field, each with its sources named.
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- Evangelista da Pian di MeletoArtist
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