Buddha at Chatra, Indonesia

• Buddha in copper alloy, Indonesia, early 20th century or earlier.
• Indonesian Buddhist art, although often misunderstood, is inspired by the great Mahāyānic and Vajrayānic traditions of India and Southeast Asia, particularly influenced by exchanges with the kingdoms of Srivijaya and Majapahit. This statuette, although relatively recent, is part of this continuity, evoking both the votive function and the spread of Dharma in the archipelago.
• The association of the Buddha with a chattra in this iconography indicates a reference to the ten royal symbols of the Buddha, a style that goes beyond the simple Theravada framework and is rather part of broader conceptions of the Buddha as universal spiritual ruler(Chakravartin).
• Provenance: Estate of Asian art dealer and collector Claude de Marteau
• H 13 cm x W 6 cm x D 4 cm
• Weight: 350 grams.

This copper-alloy Buddha, originally from Indonesia, features an evocative iconography blending spiritual symbolism and regional artistic tradition. Seated in a meditative posture (vajrāsana) on a stepped lotus-leaf base, he adopts the bhūmisparśa mudrā, the emblematic gesture of the Buddha calling the earth to witness his awakening under the Bodhi tree.

Behind him, a mandorla frames his silhouette, evoking stylistic influences from the medieval Buddhist periods of Southeast Asia. The most distinctive element of this work is the chattra, or ritual parasol, placed at the top of the composition. A symbol of dignity and protection, the chattra is an attribute frequently associated with stūpas and royal deities in Buddhist and Hindu iconography. Here, it represents the Buddha’s supreme spiritual authority and his status as an enlightened Being above the world of illusions.

The chatra is also an ashtamangala, one of the eight auspicious symbols of Indian religions such as Hinduism, Buddhism, Jainism and Sikhism.