Text, folio 170 (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

Dominant colour

Text, folio 170 (verso), 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 is a long, narrow wooden block with rows of tiny, carved letters. The letters are arranged in neat columns, filling almost the entire surface. There are small circular holes at both ends—maybe for hanging or handling. The block looks like it’s meant to stamp ink onto paper, creating text. It’s part of an old Buddhist scripture, carved carefully by hand. Check out The Cleveland Museum of Art to see how they display this kind of object.