Text, Folio 124 (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

Dominant colour

Text, Folio 124 (recto), 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 looks like a wooden block with rows of tiny, sharp metal edges. The edges form repeating patterns of letters and symbols carved into the wood. It’s long and narrow, with three sections separated by small gaps. These blocks were used to stamp text onto paper—like a printer’s stamp. The letters are uniform and precise, showing how carefully the carving was done. Check out The Cleveland Museum of Art to see this block in person.