Text, Folio 74 (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

Byzantine icon painting Classical Antiquity Religious

Dominant colour

Text, Folio 74 (verso), 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, wooden block with three rectangular sections carved into it. Each section has tiny, evenly spaced holes arranged in rows and columns, like a grid. The wood is light brown, and the holes look dark against it. These blocks were used to print text, especially in Buddhist scriptures. The holes would hold ink, then press onto paper to create repeated patterns of writing. Look up The Cleveland Museum of Art to see more objects like this.