Text, folio 155 (verso), 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 155 (verso), 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 wooden block with carved text. The surface is divided into three long panels, each filled with rows of tiny, precise letters. The wood shows some wear, and the carving looks old. The text is part of a Buddhist scripture, written in a style that’s hard to read up close. It’s meant to be printed, not read directly from the block. Look up The Cleveland Museum of Art to see more objects like this.