Eduard Wiiralt Estonian graphic artist. Date of Birth: 20.03.1898 Country: Estonia

Biography of Eduard Wiiralt

Eduard Wiiralt was an Estonian graphic artist. He began his career in graphic arts while studying at the Reval (Tallinn) Art and Industrial School from 1915 to 1919. In 1919, he enrolled in the first Estonian national art school called "Pallas" to study sculpture, which he pursued until 1923. To further enhance his skills, Wiiralt went on to study at the Dresden Academy of Fine Arts from 1922 to 1923.

In 1925, Wiiralt was awarded a one-year scholarship to study in Paris, where he resided until the outbreak of World War II. He returned to Estonia in September 1939 but eventually moved to Austria in 1944, settling in Vienna. In 1946, Wiiralt relocated to Paris, where he lived until his death in 1954. He was buried in the Pere-Lachaise Cemetery.

In 1996, a Venezuelan entrepreneur of Estonian origin, Harri Männil, along with Estonian philanthropist Henry Radevall, donated 62 graphic works by Wiiralt to the city of Tallinn. These works were presented to the Estonian National Library, and on November 29, 1996, the Eduard Wiiralt Gallery was inaugurated within the library. The gallery showcases the artist's donated works, providing a lasting tribute to Wiiralt's talent and contribution to Estonian art.