Text, Folio 23 (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 23 (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 with three rows of tiny, sharp metal letters. Each row is packed with uniform characters, like rows of typewriter keys. The wood looks worn, with a few small holes and marks. These letters were used to stamp text onto paper or cloth—like a giant stamp pad. The block was made over 900 years ago, but the metal still looks sharp. Check out The Cleveland Museum of Art to see it in person.