Text, Folio 96 (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

Dominant colour

Text, Folio 96 (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, narrow wooden block with three sections of carved text. The letters are tiny, arranged in neat rows, and look like they’re stamped or cut into the wood. The surface is slightly uneven, with a few small marks or holes in the middle of each section. The text is part of an old Buddhist scripture, written in a language that uses symbols and curves. This kind of block was likely used to print pages by hand—like a stamp for books. Check out The Cleveland Museum of Art to see this and other printed treasures up close.