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Charles Roka

1912 – 1999

Hungarian artist

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About Charles Roka

Lived 1912 – 1999 (aged 86–87). Charles Roka was a Hungarian painter.

Charles Roka (Róka Károly; 1912–1999) was a Hungarian painter living in Norway whose name became synonymous with an excess of artistic kitsch.

Roka was born in Hungary in 1912. After he finished his studies on the Academy of Fine Arts in Budapest he went on a European journey. In 1937 he finally settled in Norway, and lived in Bærum, outside Oslo until his death.

In 1950 he painted his first picture of the half-naked Gipsy Girl whom he had seen in Marseille a few years earlier. It is Roka's numerous variations of this Gypsy Girl which made his financial success as a painter. His other favourite subjects were Hungarian folklore, especially Gipsy people dancing csárdás and portraits.

Roka had several exhibitions in Madrid, Barcelona, and Lausanne and he was very popular among the average Scandinavian people. In 1982 illness stopped him working. In 2003 Haugar Vestfold Kunstmuseum held a summer exhibition under the title Prince of Kitsch displaying about 80 of his works. It was the first time that a venerable art gallery let Roka's works within its walls.

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Important facts

Born
1912, Hungary
Birth century
Died
1999, Bærum Municipality
Occupation
Nationality

People in Charles Roka's life

Named in this biography and alive at the same time

Contemporaries

People whose lives overlapped Charles Roka's

Frequently asked questions

Who was Charles Roka?

Hungarian artist (1912-1999)

When was Charles Roka born?

Charles Roka was born in 1912 in Hungary.

When did Charles Roka die?

Charles Roka died in 1999 in Bærum Municipality.

What was Charles Roka's occupation?

Charles Roka was a painter.

What nationality was Charles Roka?

Charles Roka was Hungarian.

Sources & further reading

· Wikipedia: Charles Roka

· Wikidata: Q3666587

· DBpedia: Charles Roka

Cite this page

APA: Biography.guide. (2026). Charles Roka. https://biography.guide/charles-roka/

MLA: "Charles Roka." Biography.guide, https://biography.guide/charles-roka/.

Chicago: "Charles Roka." Biography.guide. https://biography.guide/charles-roka/.

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