Ramkinkar Baij was India’s foremost modernist sculptor who broke away from the staunchness of academic realism and suffused his work with avant-garde animation, making it characteristically individualistic in style. While his sculptures hold a distinct place in Indian modern art, Baij’s paintings across mediums present the same experimental vitality.

Born in Bankura, Bengal, in 1906, Baij was orphaned at a young age. He was drawn to the practice of sculpture-making, seen at his local idol maker’s workshop. His raw talent was first discovered by Ramananda Chatterjee, the editor of The Modern Review, who introduced the young Baij to the esteemed artist Nandalal Bose, the then principal of Kala Bhavan in Santiniketan. At the school, Baij cultivated a distinctive visual language, departing from colonial academic conventions and classical norms of the time, and embracing indigenous life and materials with innovative fervor.​ His works stand out for bringing the lives of the working class and tribal communities into his subject matter with expressive, bold brushwork, vibrant colors, and raw emotional intensity.