B. Vithal was born in Maharashtra in 1935. At the early age of five, he started sketching Lord Ganesha and other deities in chalk on his slate. Coming from this inspiration, all his works were inspired by Hindi mythology, philosophy and ancient Indian art. He studied at the Sir J.J. School of Art, Mumbai and secured a diploma in sculpture. He was an artist who had mastered the skill of sculpting and painting. He excelled in the live model studio classes and the emphasis on the study of the human form. He met his wife and fellow artist B Prabha at J. J. School of Art.
During his career, Vithal diverted to sign board painting and designing of event stages and pavilions to earn a living, as he was going through a financial hardship. By this, he learnt to use various mediums and allowed him to understand the plasticity of a tactile medium. He worked with graphite, watercolour, chalk, oil, stone, bronze, aluminum and fiberglass amongst other mediums.
Vithal mostly painted on large canvases and handled the entire surface with ease. His canvases are not precursors to his sculptures; his ability to switch from the three dimensions to the two dimensions is noteworthy. Vithal played with his canvases, he moved them all around, working on them from all directions, creating unusual in textures and depths. Horses, bulls, musicians, nudes, and people of Maharashtra are some of the most painted subjects by the artist. In his paintings, he experimented with abstractionism, but retained the lyricism he felt was important in his work. He painted these with ease, creating unusual textures and depths.
In the mature phase of his career, Vithal focused on sculptures. He thought the process of making a sculpture was a more tangible experience than painting. Known for his bulls, his three-dimensional works are based on forms of humans and animals incorporated with elements from his locale in Maharashtra. His sculptures were known for their monumentality and his paintings captured the intimate. But in both mediums, there was an understanding of the human form. It was noteworthy how he shifted from two-dimensional to three-dimensional and vice-versa so effortlessly. His works were based on aesthetic forms, structures, textures, colour and composition. He always paid great attention to the workmanship, technique and his iconographic rendering.
Vithal as a spouse pampered his wife B Prabha, whom he had married in 1956, as a child. He was a mentor, guardian and a teacher to her. He was not only a versatile artist but he was even more vibrant as a person. He was extremely popular in the art circles and big business houses. In 1956 he had a two-person show with his wife, B. Prabha in Mumbai & 1987, Dhoomimal Art Centre, New Delhi. In 2007, his works were exhibited in Resurgent Memories, a tribute to Mahender Jain, Dhoomimal Art Centre, New Delhi. In 2011 he was posthumously showcased in Agape, Hacienda Art Gallery, Mumbai. In 2013 & 2015 he was posthumously exhibited in The Naked and the Nude: The Body in Indian Modern Art, Delhi Art Gallery, New Delhi and at DAG Modern, New York. In 2017 he was exhibited in The Melting Pot at Gallery 7, Mumbai. Vithal’s work was featured in an exhibition at the Art Musings. Vithal’s works are regularly exhibited and auctioned by Christie’s, Sotheby’s, Astaguru, Saffron Art and others in India and internationally. Vithals works are in many public and private collections. Many corporate & government offices have his art works displayed.
Vithal lived and worked in Mumbai and passed away in 1992.