Artwork
Text, Folio 130 (verso), from a Manuscript of the Perfection of Wisdom in Eight Thousand Lines (Ashtasahasrika Prajnaparamita-sutra)
Text, Folio 130 (verso), from a Manuscript of the Perfection of Wisdom in Eight Thousand Lines (Ashtasahasrika Prajnaparamita-sutra) is an unspecified painting by Unknown. It dates from 14 and is held in the collection of the Cleveland Museum of Art. The object is a narrow wooden printing block, measuring roughly the length of a folio page.
About this work
Overview
Its surface is densely covered with tiny, uniformly carved characters arranged in vertical columns, resembling the layout of a traditional Buddhist manuscript.
The object is a narrow wooden printing block, measuring roughly the length of a folio page. Its surface is densely covered with tiny, uniformly carved characters arranged in vertical columns, resembling the layout of a traditional Buddhist manuscript. The wood exhibits a warm, brown hue, and the relief work is executed with consistent precision, indicating a purpose for repeated ink transfer onto paper.
Subject & Meaning
The block bears the text of the Ashtasahasrika Prajnaparamita‑sūtra, commonly known as the Perfection of Wisdom in Eight Thousand Lines. This Mahāyāna Buddhist scripture expounds the concept of emptiness and the path to enlightenment, serving both devotional and instructional functions within monastic and lay contexts.
Technique & Style
Carved from a single piece of wood, the block employs relief printing techniques that predate movable‑type presses. Each character is incised to a uniform depth, allowing for even ink distribution. The tight arrangement of script reflects the columnar format of East Asian manuscripts, and the meticulous execution suggests the work of a specialized block‑carver.
History & Provenance
The block originates from a manuscript tradition that circulated in East Asia from the Tang dynasty onward. While the exact date and place of production are not specified, such blocks were commonly used in Chinese and Korean Buddhist printing workshops between the 9th and 14th centuries. The piece entered the Cleveland Museum of Art’s collection through acquisition of Asian printing materials, where it is catalogued among other early woodblock artifacts.
Context
Woodblock printing was a pivotal technology for disseminating Buddhist texts before the advent of metal movable type. Blocks like this enabled the relatively rapid production of sacred scriptures, contributing to the spread of Mahāyāna teachings across East Asia. Today, the object offers insight into the material culture of Buddhist literacy and the craftsmanship underlying early mass communication.
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 130 (recto), from a Manuscript of the Perfection of Wisdom in Eight Thousand Lines (Ashtasahasrika Prajnaparamita-sutra)
Text, Folio 135 (verso), from a Manuscript of the Perfection of Wisdom in Eight Thousand Lines (Ashtasahasrika Prajnaparamita-sutra)
Text, Folio 125 (verso), from a Manuscript of the Perfection of Wisdom in Eight Thousand Lines (Ashtasahasrika Prajnaparamita-sutra)
Text, Folio 152 (verso), from a Manuscript of the Perfection of Wisdom in Eight Thousand Lines (Ashtasahasrika Prajnaparamita-sutra)
Text, Folio 132 (verso), 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 160 (verso), from a Manuscript of the Perfection of Wisdom in Eight Thousand Lines (Ashtasahasrika Prajnaparamita-sutra)
Text, Folio 22 (verso), from a Manuscript of the Perfection of Wisdom in Eight Thousand Lines (Ashtasahasrika Prajnaparamita-sutra)
Text, Folio 126 (verso), from a Manuscript of the Perfection of Wisdom in Eight Thousand Lines (Ashtasahasrika Prajnaparamita-sutra)