Artwork

Text, Folio 17 (recto), from a Manuscript of the Perfection of Wisdom in Eight Thousand Lines (Ashtasahasrika Prajnaparamita-sutra)

Text, Folio 17 (recto), 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 14 and is held in the collection of the Cleveland Museum of Art. This manuscript folio, dated to the 12th century, originates from the Ashtasahasrika Prajnaparamita-sutra, a foundational Buddhist text.

About this work

Overview

This manuscript folio, dated to the 12th century, originates from the Ashtasahasrika Prajnaparamita-sutra, a foundational Buddhist text. Executed on wood, it features three rectangular sections of densely packed Sanskrit text, characteristic of Buddhist manuscripts from the period.

Subject & Meaning

The text excerpted here is part of the Prajnaparamita-sutra, a key Mahayana Buddhist scripture emphasizing wisdom and the path to enlightenment. The use of Sanskrit indicates its importance in early Buddhist scholarship and ritual.

Technique & Style

The folio showcases traditional manuscript production techniques of its time, with carefully arranged, densely written Sanskrit text in a rectangular format, typical of Indian and Southeast Asian Buddhist manuscripts.

History & Provenance

Originally part of a larger manuscript, this folio is now housed at The Cleveland Museum of Art, though specific details of its discovery and transfer are not provided in the available information.

Context

Created in the 12th century, this work reflects the flourishing of Buddhist textual culture during this period, particularly in regions where Sanskrit was a language of religious and philosophical discourse.