Text, Folio 94 (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

Byzantine icon painting Classical Antiquity Religious

Dominant colour

Text, Folio 94 (recto), 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 looks like a wooden block with three long rows of tiny, carved letters. The letters are packed tightly, all the same size, and look like they’re meant to be stamped onto paper. The wood has a smooth, polished finish, and there are two small circular holes near the top. These blocks were used to print Buddhist texts by hand. The letters are arranged to spell out parts of a very long scripture. If you want to see more like this, check out The Cleveland Museum of Art.