Artwork
Text, Folio 33 (verso), from a Manuscript of the Perfection of Wisdom in Eight Thousand Lines (Ashtasahasrika Prajnaparamita-sutra)
Text, Folio 33 (verso), from a Manuscript of the Perfection of Wisdom in Eight Thousand Lines (Ashtasahasrika Prajnaparamita-sutra) is an unspecified painting by the Byzantine icon painting artist Unknown. It dates from 1119 and is held in the collection of the Cleveland Museum of Art.
About this work
Overview
The object is a single folio, the verso of page 33, from a manuscript of the *Perfection of Wisdom in Eight Thousand Lines* (the Ashtasāhasrikā Prajñāpāramitā). It consists of a sheet of paper bearing black ink text arranged in two vertical columns, with a central perforation. The paper shows signs of age, including tears, creases and surface wear, indicating its historic nature.
Subject & Meaning
The written material is a portion of the Buddhist *Prajñāpāramitā* sutra, a key text in Mahāyāna philosophy that expounds the concept of perfect wisdom. Although the specific language of the script is not identified in the description, the content would traditionally convey teachings on emptiness and the path to enlightenment, reflecting the sutra’s doctrinal significance.
Technique & Style
The inscription employs a formal cursive hand, executed with black ink on paper. The script’s fluid strokes suggest a trained scribe familiar with manuscript conventions of the period. The two‑column layout and central hole are typical of East Asian codices, facilitating binding and reading while preserving the integrity of the folio.
History & Provenance
This folio originates from a larger manuscript of the *Ashtasāhasrikā Prajñāpāramitā*, though the precise date and place of production are not specified. It is part of the collection of the Cleveland Museum of Art, which acquired the piece as part of its holdings of historic documents and artifacts, though the acquisition details are not provided.
Context
Manuscripts of the *Prajñāpāramitā* were widely copied across East Asia from the early medieval period onward, serving both religious and scholarly functions. The presence of a central perforation indicates the folio was intended for binding within a codex, a common practice that allowed the text to be consulted within monastic libraries or private collections.
Artist & collection
Domestic Scene
Giacomo and Cardinal Marco, investing Andrea, Abbot of San Zeno, with his Benefice
The Nymph of Fontainebleau
Portrait of a Woman
Madonna and Child with Saints in the Enclosed Garden
Venus and Minerva
Family Group of Four on Sofa
Wall painting from Room H of the Villa of P. Fannius Synistor at Boscoreale
Text, Folio 32 (verso), from a Manuscript of the Perfection of Wisdom in Eight Thousand Lines (Ashtasahasrika Prajnaparamita-sutra)
Text, Folio 33 (recto), from a Manuscript of the Perfection of Wisdom in Eight Thousand Lines (Ashtasahasrika Prajnaparamita-sutra)
Text, Folio 36 (verso), from a Manuscript of the Perfection of Wisdom in Eight Thousand Lines (Ashtasahasrika Prajnaparamita-sutra)
Text, folio 3 (verso), from a Manuscript of the Perfection of Wisdom in Eight Thousand Lines (Ashtasahasrika Prajnaparamita-sutra)
Text, Folio 31 (verso), from a Manuscript of the Perfection of Wisdom in Eight Thousand Lines (Ashtasahasrika Prajnaparamita-sutra)
Text, Folio 37 (verso), from a Manuscript of the Perfection of Wisdom in Eight Thousand Lines (Ashtasahasrika Prajnaparamita-sutra)
Text, Folio 103 (verso), from a Manuscript of the Perfection of Wisdom in Eight Thousand Lines (Ashtasahasrika Prajnaparamita-sutra)
Text, folio 157 (verso), from a Manuscript of the Perfection of Wisdom in Eight Thousand Lines (Ashtasahasrika Prajnaparamita-sutra)