Artwork
Bottom cover, from a Manuscript of the Perfection of Wisdom in Eight Thousand Lines (Ashtasahasrika Prajnaparamita-sutra)
Bottom cover, from a Manuscript of the Perfection of Wisdom in Eight Thousand Lines (Ashtasahasrika Prajnaparamita-sutra) is an unspecified painting. It dates from 1119 and is held in the collection of the Cleveland Museum of Art.
About this work
Overview
The object is the lower cover of a historic Buddhist manuscript containing the Ashtasahasrika Prajnaparamita, a text known as the Perfection of Wisdom in Eight Thousand Lines. It consists of a rectangular wooden board, dark brown in tone, whose surface shows the wear and texture typical of an aged binding.
Subject & Meaning
The cover itself does not display illustrative imagery; its significance lies in its function as a protective element for a sacred sutra. By safeguarding the text, the board participates in the ritual respect afforded to Buddhist scriptures, embodying the reverence of the tradition.
Technique & Style
Crafted from a single piece of wood, the board retains a coarse finish that suggests hand‑shaping with simple tools. The surface bears a modest label applied in black ink, indicating a later cataloguing practice rather than original decoration.
History & Provenance
A small rectangular label affixed to the left side reads "Cleveland B46 6099," identifying the item within the Cleveland Museum of Art's collection. The label reflects the museum's accession system, confirming the cover's current institutional custody.
Context
The manuscript to which this cover belongs belongs to a corpus of Mahayana Buddhist literature that circulated across Asia from the early centuries of the Common Era. Wooden covers such as this were common in South Asian and Tibetan codices, providing durability for texts used in monastic study and ritual.
Artist & collection
