Edgar Valter (21 September 1929, Tallinn – 4 March 2006,

Tartu Tartu is the second largest city in Estonia after the Northern European country's political and financial capital, Tallinn. Tartu has a population of 91,407 (as of 2021). It is southeast of Tallinn and 245 kilometres (152 miles) northeast of ...

) was an Estonian graphic artist, caricaturist, writer and illustrator of children's books, with over 250 books to his name, through 55 years of activity (1950–2005). His most famous work is ''Pokuraamat'' (The Poku Book).

Life

Edgar Valter was born on 21 September 1929, in Tallinn, the fourth child of a family of eight kids. He completed middle-school in 1945, but didn't graduate from Secondary School. He began working as a freelance artist in 1950, eventually illustrating some of the most famous Estonian children literature characters, including the ''Krõll'', the ''Naksitrallid'', the ''Sipsik'', and the ''Kunksmoor''. Edgar Valter illustrated over 250 books, most of them being books for children. His caricatures were published by many journals and newspapers. Edgar Valter worked for the magazines ''Hea Laps'' (a good kid), ''Täheke'' (a star), ''Pioneer'', and ''

Pikker Pikne (also ''Piken'' or ''Pikker'': the long one) is the god of lightning in Estonian mythology. In Finnish language, Finnish, lightning is sometimes called ''Pitkäinen'', which is similar in meaning. It is likely that both are taboo euphemis ...

'' (a humor and satire magazine published during soviet times). Edgar Valter lived his last 15 years in the Pöörismäe farm, located at the Urvaste rural municipality of the Võrumaa County. He died on 4 March 2006. His remains were cremated and buried on 17 May 2006 at Metsakalmistu in Tallinn.

The Poku Book and Pokus

First published in 1994, ''Pokuraamat'' (The Poku Book) tells the tale of Pokus. A poku is a grass mound that grows in south-eastern Estonian bogs. In the book, Valter interprets pokus as animated childlike creatures, the grass actually being their golden head hair, which grows down to their feet. Its central theme is emphasizing the need to respect and to live in harmony with nature. ''Pokuraamat'' was the first book that was both written and illustrated by Edgar Valter. In 1996, the book won the prestigious Nukits Competition award for best children book of the year. Edgar Valter wrote two subsequent Poku-related books after that: ''Pokuaabits'' (The Poku ABC) (2002) and ''Pokulood'' (Poku Stories) (2004).

Pokuland

In Rebaste village (Kanepi Parish), the Pokuland ( et, Pokumaa) is opened. Pokuland is a thematic park where almost everything is related to Pokus.

Bibliography

Selected titles *''Jahikoera memuaarid'' (1974; 2004) *''Pokuraamat'' (The Poku Book, 1994; 2001; 2005) *''Ahaa, kummitab'' (1995) *''Kassike ja kakuke'' (1995) *''Lugu lahkest lohe Justusest ja printses Miniminnist'' (The Story of the Nice Dragon Iustus and the Princess Minimin, 1995) *''Kullast vilepill'' (1996) *''Isand Tuutu ettevõtmised'' (1997) *''Iika'' (1998) *''Pintselsabad'' (The Brushtails, 1998) *''Metsa pühapäev'' (1999) *''Kuidas õppida vaatama?'' (How Can You Learn to See? 2000) *''Ho-ho-hoo!'' (2002) *''Pokuaabits'' (The Poku ABC, 2002) *''Natuke naljakad pildid'' (2003) *''Pokulood'' (Poku Stories, 2004) *''Ikka veel kummitab'' (2005) *''Maalid 1983–2005'' (2007). Selected paintings. *''Karikatuurid läbi aegade'' (2011). Caricatures through time. *''Lasteraamatute illustratsioonid 1948–2005'' (2014). Children book illustrations.

Translations

Poku Stories * Lithuanian: Puokių istorijos, 2014 * Udmurt: Пукейлэн мадёсъёсыз, 2010 The Poku Book * Udmurt: Покъёс сярысь лыдзет, 2010 * Lithuanian: Puokiai, 2008 * Russian: Поки, 1995 (Таллинн); 2014 (Москва)

Awards

* 1991

Meie Mats Meie Mats, named after an Estonian folk song, is a prestigious yearly humour award issued since 1987 and originally initiated by Edgar Spriit, the chief editor of ''Pikker'', a long-time Estonian humour magazine.Maaleht 18 January 2001Kellest saa ...

Maaleht http://ekspress.delfi.ee/news/paevauudised/ekspress-on-eesti-suurim-nadalaleht?id=69205373 ''Maaleht'' is the biggest weekly newspaper published in Estonia. As of summer 2007, Maaleht was the second-largest weekly newspaper in Estonia with a cir ...

18 January 2001
Kellest saab Meie Mats 2001?
by

Lembit Sibul Lembit Sibul (January 14, 1947 — October 2, 2001) was an Estonian humorist and stage actor, known for his work with the Estonian satire and humor magazine, '' Pikker''. In 1997 Lembit Sibul was awarded the Estonian humor award Meie Mats.

* 1995 Annual Children's Literature Award of the Cultural Endowment of Estonia (The Poku Book) * 1996 Nukits Competition, 1st place for writing and illustrations (The Poku Book) * 1996 Albu Parish's A. T. Tammsaare Award for Literature, special prize (The Poku Book) * 2000 Nukits Competition, 2nd place (The Brushtails) * 2001 The Estonian National Culture Foundation's award for lifetime achievement * 2001

Order of the White Star The Order of the White Star ( et, Valgetähe teenetemärk; french: Ordre de l'Etoile Blanche) was instituted in 1936. The Order of the White Star is bestowed on Estonia Estonia, formally the Republic of Estonia, is a country by the Baltic ...

, 3rd Class * 2002 The Eerik Kumari Nature Conservation Award * 2006 Nukits Competition, 2nd place (Poku Stories)

References

External links

Incomplete illustrated bibliography
(in Estonian)
The Project Pokuland
(in English and Estonian). Includes photos, sample art work, and more information about Edgar Valter.
Paintings
(in English and Estonian).
Edgar Valter's 84th Birthday
Google Doodles, 2012
Blog dedicated to Edgar Valter's illustrations
Many art samples from his books and other publications (in Estonian) {{DEFAULTSORT:Valter, Edgar 1929 births 2006 deaths Artists from Tallinn Writers from Tallinn Estonian illustrators Estonian children's writers Estonian children's book illustrators Recipients of Meie Mats 20th-century Estonian writers 20th-century male writers 21st-century Estonian writers 21st-century male writers Estonian male writers Recipients of the Order of the White Star, 3rd Class