R. W. Ekman, was a significant teacher and painter of the Finnish romantic portraits and early national romanticism.

His father was Carl Christoffer Ekman [fi], a medical doctor and a mayor, and his mother was Sara Elisabet (maiden name Gadolin).

Already as a student Ekman specialized in portraying the life of the common people, instead of Classicism of the academic arts.

Additionally, he completed over 30 church altarpieces during his career including works at Helsinki (1846–1848), Sääksmäki (1847), Viitasaari (1849), Sauvon (1853), Oulu (1859), Tammela (1860), Vaasa (1861), Pori (1863), Paimio (1865), Tyrvää (1866) and Perelt (1871).

Having moved to Turku, Ekman started working on art education with master painter Carl Gustaf Söderstrand [fi] (1800–1862).