Text, Folio 11 (recto), from a Manuscript of the Perfection of Wisdom in Eight Thousand Lines (Ashtasahasrika Prajnaparamita-sutra)

unspecified

From the collection of Cleveland Museum of Art

Byzantine icon painting Classical Antiquity Religious

Dominant colour

Text, Folio 11 (recto), from a Manuscript of the Perfection of Wisdom in Eight Thousand Lines (Ashtasahasrika Prajnaparamita-sutra) is a 14 unspecified by Unknown, a Byzantine icon painting work, held at Cleveland Museum of Art.

Who painted this?: Unknown
When & what style?: 14 · Byzantine icon painting
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 are carved in a grid pattern, and two small circular holes are near the top edges. The wood has a warm, natural color, and the block looks worn but intact. These holes aren’t random—they’re part of an old printing tool. Back in 1119, this was used to print Buddhist texts in Nepal. If you’re curious about how this worked, look up chiaroscuro—though wait, no, that’s not right. Actually, this is more about printing techniques. Try looking up The Cleveland Museum of Art to see where it’s kept now.