Text, Folio 127 (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 127 (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 looks like a wooden block with carved text. The surface is covered in tiny, repeating characters arranged in neat rows. The wood is light-colored, and the carving is dark, making the letters stand out clearly. The block is used for printing—each character is cut into the wood so ink can be pressed onto paper. This kind of block printing was common in some Asian traditions. Look up The Cleveland Museum of Art to see where this block is kept.