Artwork
Text, Folio 31 (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) is an unspecified painting. It dates from 1119 and is held in the collection of the Cleveland Museum of Art.
About this work
Overview
Folio 31 verso is a narrow strip of aged paper taken from a manuscript of the *Perfection of Wisdom in Eight Thousand Lines* (the Ashtasahasrika Prajñāpāramitā‑sūtra). The page is densely filled with small, orderly script that runs from margin to margin, reflecting the meticulous hand of a traditional scribe.
Subject & Meaning
The text contains a portion of the Buddhist sutra that expounds the concept of emptiness and the path to enlightenment. As a religious document, its purpose was both devotional and instructional, serving as a guide for practitioners studying the Prajñāpāramitā teachings.
Technique & Style
Written in fine, uniform characters on brown, weathered paper, the folio exemplifies classical East Asian calligraphy. The script’s compactness and precision suggest a professional scribe, while the paper’s texture and coloration reveal centuries of handling and environmental exposure.
History & Provenance
The manuscript page is part of the collection of the Cleveland Museum of Art. Its provenance traces back to a monastic context where the sutra was copied for study, later entering the museum’s holdings through acquisition, though specific details of its journey remain limited.
Artist & collection
Text, Folio 8 (recto), from a Manuscript of the Perfection of Wisdom in Eight Thousand Lines (Ashtasahasrika Prajnaparamita-sutra)
Text, Folio 40 (verso), from a Manuscript of the Perfection of Wisdom in Eight Thousand Lines (Ashtasahasrika Prajnaparamita-sutra)
Text, Folio 6 (recto), from a Manuscript of the Perfection of Wisdom in Eight Thousand Lines (Ashtasahasrika Prajnaparamita-sutra)