Balinese Gold Figure of Buddha Seated in Dharmacakra Mudra

This outstanding gold Buddha was made in Bali, and is thus a rare item, owing to the comparatively small number of practicing Buddhists in the island state. However, Buddhism does have a long history in the Indonesian archipelago, and – along with Hinduism – replaced a rudimentary animism based around spirit worship. Having coexisted for some time, Buddhism was largely displaced by Islam in the 15th to 16th centuries, and found something of a refuge in Bali and Eastern Java. It gained increasing support during the twentieth century; interestingly, elements of Buddhism have also become integrated into the local variant of Hinduism, which is itself influenced by indigenous faiths. This syncretic mix has also influenced Balinese Buddhism, which, while ostensibly Theravadin, has incorporated other elements and beliefs. A great deal of import is thus paid to natural things – notably rocks and trees – as well as to the power of other elements such as daggers and woven cloth.

Sculptures of Buddhas are not viewed as objects of veneration. Rather, they are to encourage a mood of reflection and meditation within the worshipper, and to focus the mind on a higher plane. For this reason, the stylistic tenets of representation are highly variable, and are influenced by regional tradition as much as the inspiration and talent of the sculptor. Some features, however, are common to most statues. The hands of these statues may display different gestures (mudra) that are symbolic of the Buddha’s different characteristics. The current example is the teaching mudra – or dharmacakra mudra – with both hands held in front of the chest. The thumb and index fingers touch to form circles representing the turning of the Wheel of the Law. This gesture has an incredibly long history and relates to the first sermon of delivered by Buddha after his Enlightenment in the deer park at Sarnath.

The face is calm and reflective, with downcast eyes, a broad nose and slightly pursed lips. The ears are elongated and pierced. The headwear is typically highly ornate and decorated with small eminences and a superior apex indicative of learning and wisdom. The body is essentially unadorned, reflecting the generally ascetic appearance and lifestyle of Buddha compared to the more gaudy Bodhisattvas, with a plain loincloth around the hips. The pedestal is decorated with floral motifs and the figure is framed by a leaf-shaped “halo” attached to the back of the head.

The image is cast in bronze with admixture of pure gold. It was made by the cire perdue – or ‘lost wax process’ – where a wax image is created, then coated with a plaster or clay which is subsequently baked allowing the wax to melt and drain away, replacing it with molten metal. The finished image is then gilded and adorned with pure gold leaf. While displaying tendencies towards the Thai Rattanakosin Buddha figures, he stands apart from them as befits his rarity and origin. This is a beautiful and important piece of Buddhist art.