Ramgopal Vijaivargiya

1905

Is born in Baler in Rajasthan’s Sawai Madhopur district; develops a keen interest in painting at an early age, initiated by a wandering sadhu of the Ram Snehi sect.

1928

Has his first exhibition at Fine Arts and Crafts Society, Calcutta.

1934

Releases a publication of his works, titled Vijayvargiya Picture Album. Receives the Maharaja Patiala Award, Punjab.

1935

Establishes his name in the Indian art world when he sells over one thousand paintings by the age of thirty—many of which are inspired by Kalidasa’s plays, the Ramayana and the Mahabharata, Persian poets, Omar Khayyam, Sadi and Hafiz, and the medieval poet Bihari’s Satsai—resulting in his line-work, often hailed as akin to poetry itself. His rendering of Omar Khayyam is masterly drawn in a manner that shows his free spirited and distinctive style with Ajanta-like characteristics of gracefully curving bodies, soft smiling mouths, half-closed, doe-like eyes, sinuous arms, and long, tapering fingers His paintings are frequently reproduced in Modern Review and Amrita Bazar Patrika (both in English), and Prabasi and Basumati (both in Bengali), besides Gujarati and Hindi magazines.

1945

Releases his Meghdoot Chitravali picture book on the fictional character of the Cloud Messenger, where the influence of the Bengal School is evident in his Ajanta-like figures; the soft, dreamy rhythmic quality of his calligraphic lines, and watercolour palette. Publishes the picture book Behari Chitravali, possibly a depiction of the Beharia village in Birbhum district of West Bengal.

1945-66

Is principal of Rajasthan Kala Mandir and Rajasthan School of Art, Jaipur.

1952

Publishes the picture book, Rajasthani Paintings. Unearthing traditional court paintings led to his second genre of paintings— vignettes of vividly coloured Rajasthani life, linear studies of rustic simplicity of work and play, and the whirl of fairs and festivals. Publishes Rajasthani Chitrakala, a book on Rajasthan paintings, with the help of Vijaivargiya Kala Mandal, Jaipur.

1958

Is awarded the Lalit Kala Akademi award in Rajasthan. Is vice-president of Lalit Kala Akademi, Rajasthan.

1960s-70s

Continues to paint. He is a prominent figure in Rajasthan in respect of his mythological paintings.

1984

Is awarded the Padma Shri by the Government of India in recognition of his efforts at sustaining the tradition of local art, as distinct from miniature art, while infusing it with a modern spirit.

1988

A monograph on the artist is published by Lalit Kala Akademi. Is awarded Lalit Kala Akademi’s fellowship and a retrospective of his forty-year career is held in New Delhi on the occasion.

1991

His biography, Roopankar, is released.

1995

Releases Volume II Paintings of his biography Roopankar.

1997

A retrospective is held at Kumar Gallery, New Delhi.

1998

His books of fiction, Mehndi Lage Haath aur Kajal Bhari Ankhen, Vasanti and Madhyam Marg are all released this year. Hindi Sahitya Sammelan honours him with the Sahitya Vachaspati award for literature.

2003

Passes away.

2005

The Vijaiavargiya Memorial Trust, Jaipur, releases a book of poetry, Nisarga, Mañjari, in his honour.