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A farmer on horseback crosses a narrow bridge above Javanese wetlands, framed by lush trees in varied shades of green. In the distance, the serene silhouette of Mount Merapi looms, its blue hues fading into the clouds. Though Merapi is one of the most active volcanoes in the Pacific Ring of Fire, the painting evokes stillness and calm.
Encased in an ornate gold frame, the 30-by-43.5 centimeter oil painting gives a sense of quiet life in rural Java. Hairline cracks run across the surface, a testament to its age and value.
Believed to have been painted around 1867, Javanese Landscape with Gunung Merapi and Horseman is a rare work by Raden Saleh, widely known as the father of modern Indonesian art. More than a scenic view, the painting captures the grandeur of nature while reflecting the emotional and cultural undercurrents of its time. It has made the rounds in Europe, including Germany, France, London and Belgium, before finally returning home.
This year, the painting is the highlight of Global Auction 2025, reaffirming Saleh’s legacy. Known for fusing European Romantic techniques with Indonesian landscapes, Saleh stood apart from his peers by portraying Indonesia not as a colonial subject but as a cultural force of its own.
Although the painting bears no signature or date, it has been authenticated by Dr. Werner Kraus, co-founder of the Department of Southeast Asian Studies at the University of Passau and one of the foremost experts on Raden Saleh. Kraus has written extensively on the artist, including the definitive book Raden Saleh: The Beginning of Modern Indonesian Painting.
A platform for the past and the present
Held on June 19, the 2025 edition of Global Auction brought together a rich mix of works by Indonesian masters and contemporary voices. Around 80 percent of the pieces were by local artists, including Lee Man Fong’s elegant East-meets-West panels, Affandi’s expressive abstracts, and I Made Wianta’s color-saturated contemporary canvases.
Global Auction also featured works from Singapore, China and South Korea, showcasing the region’s stylistic range. The only requirement? A rigorous vetting process to trace each artwork’s provenance and restoration history.
“Most of the pieces are old and come from long-time collectors,” said Kevin Raharjo, director of Global Auction.
“We take over their care, but we also build a community around that responsibility.”
Kevin noted trends he’s observed over the years: “I've seen everything from contemporary to impressionism to Chinese brushwork. Realism is still big here because of Dutch influence.”
“But lately, more young artists are going pop. Lots of cartoon characters and bold colors; that’s the direction over the last three years,” he said, pausing near a Takashi Murakami canvas with his signature smiling flower.
An auction for Indonesia, by Indonesians
Now in its 22nd year, Global Auction has its own legacy. Kevin credits the idea to his father, who noticed that Indonesian artworks were being sold, as well as highly valued, at Sotheby’s and Christie’s abroad, often to Indonesian buyers.
“That’s when he realized we needed something local. Something for Indonesian collectors,” Kevin said.
The stakes have grown since. Post-pandemic, Indonesian buyers are no longer the biggest spenders, trailing behind collectors from Vietnam and the Philippines. To reignite interest, the auction house is pushing contemporary Indonesian art onto the international stage.
They’ve also gone hybrid.
Bidders can now participate via the Global Auction app or its website, bid.global.auction, where artworks are listed in Singapore dollars. Kevin laughed when explaining why they abandoned rupiah as the main currency: “Too many zeroes, it just confused everyone.”
Sheena Suparman is a writer for The Jakarta Post's Creative Desk. She is based in Jakarta but wishes she could be anywhere else. She’s usually powered by coffee, chips and cheeseburgers.
