Text, Folio 6 (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 6 (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 wooden block with three long rows of tiny, sharp metal letters pressed into it. The letters are arranged in neat columns, ready to stamp ink onto paper. Two small white circles mark the edges—maybe for alignment. The wood looks worn, with a few dark spots where the metal might have rusted over time. These blocks were used to print Buddhist texts. The Cleveland Museum of Art has the original block for this page, which was made in 1119. If you like this, look up The Cleveland Museum of Art to see more printed treasures.