Text, Folio 83 (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

Dominant colour

Text, Folio 83 (recto), 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 rectangular sections. Each section has rows of tiny, sharp metal pins arranged in a grid. The pins are all the same height, sticking straight up. The wood is light brown, and the metal looks dark and shiny. The pins are used to press ink onto paper—this is how text was printed before moveable type. The grid pattern makes it easy to repeat lines of writing. Look up The Cleveland Museum of Art to see more objects like this.