Text, Folio 29 (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 29 (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 three raised sections. Each section is covered in tiny, evenly spaced dots arranged in horizontal rows. The dots form lines of text, but they’re not letters—just a pattern of small marks. The wood looks worn, with a light brown color and faint scratches. The dots are likely part of an old printing method where ink was pressed onto paper through these holes. This kind of block was used to print Buddhist texts in Asia. If you want to see more like this, check out The Cleveland Museum of Art.