Portrait of Ramkinkar Baij (1906 – 1980)
Sculptor & painter

Artist K. S. Radhakrishnan (born 1956)

dated 1979, Bronze
14.5 x 9.8 in. (36.8 x 24.9 cm.)

This evocative bronze portrait of Ramkinkar Baij, was sculpted by K.S. Radhakrishnan, in 1979, while he was a student at Santiniketan. It captures more than just the physical likeness of the aging maestro—it becomes a tribute to the spirit of a pioneer of Indian modernist. The head appears massive yet paradoxically light, as though borne by air, suggesting a fading vitality. Ramkinkar’s thinning musculature and expressive, almost windblown hair are rendered in a textured, spontaneous style, revealing both reverence and deep observation. The work reflects a raw immediacy— sculpted not to flatter but to embody the flux of age and life.

For Radhakrishnan, this portrait was not just a technical study in modeling but also a deeply personal engagement with character and essence. The sculpture speaks of his early mastery in capturing psychological depth through form, while foreshadowing the sensuous dynamism that would mark his later work.

K.S. Radhakrishnan is among India’s leading contemporary sculptors. A student of Ramkinkar’s legacy, he merges classical figuration with modern expressiveness. Known for his recurring bronze figures like ‘Maiya’ and ‘Musui,’ his work explores movement, myth, and memory. His sculptures evoke a dance of forms—simultaneously anchored and ethereal—rooted in Indian ethos yet resonant with universal human experience.