Vitaly Sergeyevich Rogal

About museum

Vitaly Sergeyevich Rogal was a Soviet and Russian painter, People's Artist of the RSFSR. He was born in the village of Snehiryovka in the Kiev Governorate. He began drawing at an early age: in 1934 his school drawing «Construction of a Power Station in the village of Lebedintsy» was published on the pages of the newspaper Pravda. In 1936 he entered the Irkutsk Art and Pedagogical Technical School. For his diploma work «The Arrival of Kolkhoz Settlers in Eastern Siberia» (1941) he received an excellent mark and the right to continue his studies at the All-Russian Academy of Arts, but this was prevented by the Great Patriotic War.   

On 19 November 1941 he was conscripted and sent to the Transbaikal Military District, and then in 1943 to the Western Front. He took part in the battles for the liberation of Dukhovshchina, Vitebsk, Minsk, Lithuania, and Königsberg, and was wounded. In May 1945 he was sent to the Far East—to Mongolia and Manchuria. He took part in the crossing of the Khingan Pass. Later, in Port Arthur, he headed a studio of military artists. In 1946 he was demobilized and returned to Irkutsk. In peacetime the main themes of his work became the beauty and power of Baikal and the nature of the Angara region.   

In 1948–1950, 1955–1964, and 1979–1983 he served as chairman of the Irkutsk Regional Union of Artists. He was awarded two Orders of the Red Star, the Order of the Patriotic War, 2nd class, and campaign medals «For the Capture of Königsberg», «For the Victory over Germany», «For the Victory over Japan», and «For Combat Merit». In 1986 he was granted the title of Honorary Citizen of Irkutsk, and in 2003 — Honorary Citizen of Irkutsk Oblast. Vitaly Sergeyevich Rogal passed away on 4 December 2004. During his lifetime the artist created about 3,000 paintings and graphic works.