Text, Folio 10 (verso), from a Manuscript of the Perfection of Wisdom in Eight Thousand Lines (Ashtasahasrika Prajnaparamita-sutra)

unspecified

From the collection of Cleveland Museum of Art

Dominant colour

Text, Folio 10 (verso), from a Manuscript of the Perfection of Wisdom in Eight Thousand Lines (Ashtasahasrika Prajnaparamita-sutra) is a 14 unspecified by Unknown, held at Cleveland Museum of Art.

Who painted this?: Unknown
When & what style?: 14
Where can I see it?: Cleveland Museum of Art

About this work

This is a long, narrow wooden block covered in tiny, evenly spaced holes arranged in rows. The holes form precise patterns, almost like a grid of text. Two small white circles are pressed into the wood near the ends. This kind of block was used to print Buddhist texts in Nepal. The holes held ink, and when pressed onto paper, they created printed letters. Look up The Cleveland Museum of Art to see more objects like this.