Eesti kunsti oksjonid

Oil on canvas. 1997.
Signature: EOkas 1997 / EOkas 1997 / Evald Okas “Laval” õli. 100×73

As lush and vibrant as Evald Okas’ (1915-2011) brushstrokes were, so was his love for the elegant ladies and gorgeous stage designs that opera performances offered in abundance. At the end of 1997, the Estonian National Opera premiered “La Traviata”, based on the true story of Giuseppe Verdi, which was a major event for all music lovers, as this legendary performance had previously been performed for 20 consecutive seasons.

Evald Okas found it a real inspiration with its brilliance and grandeur, and so the powerful painting “On stage” was completed. In the center of the composition, the artist placed an elegant lady in white lace as the main character of the production – Marie Duplessis, a famous Parisian courtesan. Next to her are the two other characters who, by stepping into the background, consciously let the prima donna shine but still add an important additional nuance to the story.

But of course, Okas doesn’t leave the painting to his own whims and paints a female nude in the background looking slyly at the viewer. Perhaps it is he who actually directs the course of the performance and pulls the strings behind the scenes? In any case, the scene is suitably packed with theatricality and staging and of course, Okas’ typical virtuosity.

Text: Katre Palm, Harry Liivrand