[3][1] Avakian's own work caught the attention of several high-profile Romanian figures, such as Queen Marie and curator Jean Alexandru Steriadi, and he soon migrated to Bucharest.
[8] He was appointed Master Emeritus of Art in 1951, and was presented with the State Award of the Romanian People's Republic ("Premiul de Stat al Republicii Populare Române") in 1951 and 1953.
[9] Caragea was also promoted to several positions, first as a professor at the "Nicolae Grigorescu" Institute of Fine Arts in Bucharest (1949–1974), and soon after as President of the Union of Plastic Artists (1951–1957).
In 1960, his statue of Vladimir Lenin was unveiled in front of Casa Scînteii — it was demolished in March 1990 following the Romanian revolution.
[12] His work was regularly featured in Romania's State Fine Arts Salons, as well as in numerous foreign exhibitions, such as the Venice Biennale, in which he participated in 1954, 1956, and 1964.