WD4433

Head and shoulders portrait of Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi, to left, wearing a shawl.

Signed: ‘Kramer’ and ‘M K Gandhi.’

Black and white chalk on buff paper; 50 by 40.5 cm.

Purchased 1996.

Note: Gandhi was in London from 12 September to 5 December 1931 to attend the Second Round Table Conference, staying at Kingsley Hall and with the use of an office at 88 Knightsbridge. Here, according to his grandson, Mr.Gopal Gandhi, a day was allotted for artists to take his likeness and Kramer is said to have made either three or four drawings on this occasion. His impressions of the day were published in the Yorkshire Post on 31 January 1948, after Gandhi’s death: ‘I was with him from 10.30 in the morning until 6 at night. It was one of his silent days, and neither of us spoke a word. But one did not need to speak to Mr. Gandhi to be aware of his personality. Shrivelled little man though he was, he filled that room with an extraordinary spiritual force. He was the most impressive subject I have ever had.’ Gandhi had vowed to spend every Monday in silence.

Although Kramer makes no mention of other artists being present it is believed a photograph was taken showing Gandhi carrying on with his work surrounded by a group of artists. A small head study in oils by J.H. Amschewitz, F839, is dated November 1931 and may well have been made on the same day. A pencil note on the reverse of the board reads: ‘Gandhi, study from life, London, Nov 1931.’

Another of Kramer’s Gandhi portraits, signed and dated 1931, and slightly smaller than the present drawing was shown in his 1984 retrospective.