Text, Folio 136 (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 136 (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, precise letters. The letters are arranged in neat rows, all the same size, and look like they were carved or stamped into the wood. There are three sections, each with a small dot marking the middle. This isn’t a painting—it’s an old printed page, part of a Buddhist text. The letters are so small and packed tightly that they’re hard to read without getting close. If you’re curious about how objects like this are stored and shown, check out The Cleveland Museum of Art.