Artwork
Text, folio 11 (recto), from a Kalpa-sutra
Text, folio 11 (recto), from a Kalpa-sutra is an unspecified painting by the Mughal Painting artist Unknown. It dates from 1488 and is held in the collection of the Cleveland Museum of Art. The work is a painted representation of folio 11 (recto) from a Kalpa‑sutra manuscript.
- Accession no.
- 1932.119.11.a
- Credit line
- Edward L. Whittemore Fund
About this work
Overview
The work is a painted representation of folio 11 (recto) from a Kalpa‑sutra manuscript. Rendered on a tan background, the image reproduces the appearance of an aged page, complete with black calligraphic text, red decorative marks, and signs of wear such as dirt and tears.
Subject & Meaning
The depicted page belongs to a Kalpa‑sutra, a genre of Buddhist literature that records monastic rules and doctrinal statements. The red line bisecting the page and the central red circle are typical of manuscript layout devices used to organize sections and highlight important passages.
Technique & Style
The artist employed a meticulous hand‑painting technique to mimic the texture of parchment and the fine brushwork of traditional ink script. Red pigment is applied in linear and circular forms, contrasting with the dense black lettering, while subtle shading conveys the page’s worn edges and surface irregularities.
History & Provenance
The original manuscript from which the image is derived dates to an early period of Buddhist textual production, though the precise century and geographic origin are not specified. The painted copy is part of a modern collection that documents historic scriptural materials.
Context
Kalpa‑sutras form a core component of the Buddhist canon, especially within the Vinaya tradition governing monastic discipline. The visual conventions, red markers and careful script, reflect the manuscript culture of South‑Asian Buddhist communities, where such symbols guided readers through complex legal and doctrinal sections.
Artist & collection
