Gopal Sanyal

Born Into A Family of Classical Musicians in Cuttack, Orissa. Gopal Sanyal Arrived in Calcutta in 1948 and Obtained A Diploma in Fine Arts from The Government College of Arts and Crafts in 1957.

Sanyal, a three-year National Painting Fellow of the Government of India, was a founding member of Calcutta Painters and had exhibited in its inaugural group exhibition at the All India Fine Arts and Crafts Society, New Delhi, in 1963; He was also a professor of fine arts.

Drawings and decorative architectural representations composed his works, with human parables, animals, roadside life, and itinerant musicians as themes. Drawing was always a stronger interest for Sanyal than painting, but that he did not avoid the latter was evident from his passion and skill for color.

In his distortions of form, a solid knowledge of anatomy was manifested, as well as a Cezanneian sophistication of composition. His drawings and mixed media works featured ordinary people, bird sellers, and Baul musicians, revealing his empathy for poor and working people outside of normal society.

He received awards from the Academy of Fine Arts, Calcutta, in 1963, and from the All India Society of Fine Arts and Crafts, New Delhi, in 1964 and 1971. His works are included in important collections of the University of Chicago, the Natraj Gallery in Texas, the National Gallery of Modern Art in New Delhi, and the Birla Academy of Arts and Culture in Kolkata, to name a few. Sanyal was also the subject of a 1993 film by Debiprasad Ghosh.

BORN

1933 Cuttack, Orissa

DIED

2006 Calcutta

EDUCATION QUALIFICATIONS

1956-57 Diploma in Fine Arts from the Government College of Art & Craft, Calcutta.

PARTICIPATIONS

2006 Birla Academy of Art and Culture, Kolkata

2006 Birla Academy of Art and Culture, Kolkata

2005 Sovaghar, Bharatiya Cultural Multiplex, EZCC, Kolkata

2003 Delhi Art Gallery, Delhi

2002 Katayun Gallery, Calcutta

1996 Central Art Gallery, Calcutta

1977 Max Muller Bhavan, Calcutta

1964 Eight Painters of Calcutta, AIFACS Gallery, New Delhi

1963 Calutta Painter's first exhibition at AIFACS Gallery, New Delhi

1956-93 Birla Academy of Art and Culture, Calcutta.

HONORS AND AWARD

1971 Received an award from AIFACS, New Delhi

1964 Indian Fine Arts and Crafts Society (AIFACS), New Delhi

1963 Academy of Fine Arts, Calcutta

1961-62 National Scholarship, Government of India

1950-60 He obtained the National Painting Scholarship from the Government of India three times