Eesti kunsti oksjonid

Drypoint, aquatint on paper. 1962.
Signature: Neegertantsijanna, kuivnõel akvatinta. / EOkas 962

Evald Okas (1915-2011) traveled a lot in the 1960s, visiting, among other places to Japan, India, America, Canada, Italy, and France. The artist brought back many sketches from there, which were used to create the series of graphic sheets “Travel Impressions of Italy”, “Paris”, and others. Above all, Okas loved to depict performers and, as is typical of him, always women.

In this well-known print, the black dancer is depicted as a monumental figure, which accommodates an expressive and at the same time free and natural, dynamic body. As a rule, Okas does not try to specifically portray his female models and here too, the dancer’s turned-away, almost distant face leaves us with her beautiful, generalized profile, completed by an elegant headdress. The figure is framed by airy curtains hanging on both sides, and in the background is a hilly landscape or a southern city with its restless noise.

Text: Vappu Thurlow