Text, folio 163 (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 163 (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, precise lines forming neat columns of writing. There are three sections separated by small circles, and the wood has a warm, slightly worn look. The text is likely Buddhist scripture, written in a style meant for printing. This kind of block was used to stamp pages in ancient books. Check out The Cleveland Museum of Art to see more examples of this kind of printing tool.