Text, Folio 92 (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 92 (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 covered in tiny, evenly spaced holes. The holes form rows of text, like a grid of dots waiting to print. The wood looks worn, with a light brown color and a few dark spots near the edges. The holes spell out words in a language you probably don’t recognize. It’s not paint—this is a printing block, used to stamp text onto paper over and over. Check out The Cleveland Museum of Art to see it in person.