Sadanand Bakre occupies a position of prime importance in Modern Indian Art as a formative influence by his abstract use of colour and meaningful distortion of forms in his sculpture and painting. It was he, along with his fellow-painters of the Progressive Artists Group, who by innovative approaches helped to bring a breakthrough in the old realistic style in Indian art which was prevalent for nearly a century. Late Sadanand Bakre was born at Baroda on 10th November 1920, in a prestigious family. Sadanand had his early education at Baroda. In his childhood he remembered that he used to draw human figures on the wall.  By using the shadow on the wall he tried to stick newspapers according to the area of shadow. Once he painted the figures on the walls of a temple, while his servant held little Sadanand on his shoulder. When the family shifted from Baroda to Bombay, Sadanand joined the Gokhale Education Society’s school at Grant Road near Congress House. His drawing teacher noticed his inclination for drawing and encouraged him to draw and paint. At the age of 16, he had his first solo exhibition of drawings of figures, pastel work, still life, water colour landscapes and even clay models of drapery, at the Gokhale Education Society’s school. Sadanand was inspired by the support and appreciation he received at this exhibition.

Fortunately enough, a well-wisher introduced him to Charles Gerrard, the Director of Sir J.J. School of Art. Gerrard was very much impressed by Sadanand’s drawings and immediately gave him admission. Thus, Sadanand joined the Bombay School of Art, without the knowledge of his father. Since he had no money to buy the painting material, he joined the Sculpture Department of the school in the year 1939, where the clay, plaster and tools were supplied by the school. In those days students were trained under the strict discipline of Academic Realistic style, which Sadanand grasped immediately. Soon with his talent and hardworking nature learnt the technique of modeling in clay, making a plaster cast and bronze casting as well. Owing to his innovative nature, he experimented in various techniques of sculpture and achieved brilliant success in the school examinations at the end of his 3rd year. In 1944 Sadanand completed his education and got Diploma in Sculpture and was awarded Lord Harding’s Scholarship. He stood First in the class and won Lord Mayo medal, as the Best Student in Sculpture. He was also given the fellowship of the Sculpture Department. Bakre’s rebellious temperament was always in search of some new method, material and form of expression. Newton D’ Souza was in the Painting Department, who shared with him the dislike for realistic style of painting. D’ Souza also wanted to find some new style of expression due to his rebellious nature. Friendship with D’ Souza led to joining hands to lay the foundation of Progressive Artists’ Group subsequently.

A brief survey and analysis of Bakre’s creations in painting and sculpture would give some idea of his gradual development from academic realistic style towards total abstraction. By 1959 and during early 60s’ he started using spiky forms. This is seen in his paintings as well as in his sculptures. His painting ‘Midday Sun in London’ (oil on canvas), as well as his sculpture, ‘Red Shoe’ (alloy of copper and lead), are best examples. His colours are exceptionally bright. After 1963 the forms become more simplified and the use of flat, bright colour is seen in his “still lifes” as well as in his landscapes. The finest example is his painting, ‘Backyard of Pablo Casals’s Home in Spain’. Simultaneously, he painted paintings like, ‘The Mongoloid Child’, 1961, expressing sympathy towards the child. Around 1969, architectural forms were introduced in his paintings while retaining the use of bright colours. His painting, ‘Place to Live’ shows the multi-storied architectural forms with sloping roofs as well as domes. The painting ‘Waiting for Trial’, shows the head of a prisoner surrounded with walls. It reminds the state of mind of Christ engrossed in thoughts. During 1980s and 1990s total disintegration of form is observed in his paintings, ‘Man with Bowler Hat’ (oil on canvas, 1988), ‘Pollution’ (oil on canvas, 1994). After coming back to India he rarely exhibited his work but around 2002 he said, he had in mind the idea of a sculpture, ‘The Sun’, on which he remained busy for years. Unfortunately, it could not be completed.

Bakre breathed his last in the year 2007 at his house in Murud by heart attack. His death was a great loss to the artist community. An all-rounder, a knowledgeable technologist who was versatile in handling the methods and materials, and having a powerful expression in both his paintings as well as his sculptures, is probably born once in hundred years. He has to his credit in association with his fellow artists, of introducing the modern ideology to Indian Art.