Artwork
Text, folio 170 (verso), from a Manuscript of the Perfection of Wisdom in Eight Thousand Lines (Ashtasahasrika Prajnaparamita-sutra)
Text, folio 170 (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.
About this work
Overview
The object is a narrow wooden printing block, measuring roughly the length of a folio. Its surface is densely covered with minute, hand‑carved characters arranged in orderly vertical columns that occupy nearly the whole panel. Small circular apertures at each end suggest it was designed for suspension or manual handling during use.
Subject & Meaning
The incised text reproduces a passage from the Buddhist scripture known as the Perfection of Wisdom in Eight Thousand Lines (Ashtasahasrika Prajnaparamita‑sutra). This sutra expounds the concept of emptiness and the ultimate nature of reality, forming a central doctrinal source for Mahayana Buddhism.
Technique & Style
Crafted from a single piece of wood, the block was carved with a fine, pointed tool to produce uniform, legible characters suitable for repeated impression. The layout follows traditional columnar formatting, and the precision of the carving reflects the high level of skill required for block printing in pre‑modern East Asia.
History & Provenance
Blocks such as this were employed in the transmission of Buddhist texts before the advent of movable type, allowing monasteries to produce multiple copies of sacred writings. The specific provenance of this block is not recorded, but similar examples have been documented in Chinese and Tibetan monastic collections dating from the medieval period.
Context
Block printing emerged in East Asia as a practical solution for disseminating religious literature, especially lengthy sutras. The Ashtasahasrika Prajnaparamita‑sutra, with its extensive doctrinal content, was a frequent target for such reproduction, facilitating study and ritual recitation across monastic networks.
Legacy
Objects like this wooden block illustrate the material culture of Buddhist textual transmission and the technological innovations that supported the spread of Mahayana teachings. Their preservation offers insight into the intersection of religious practice, craftsmanship, and early printing technology.
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 169 (verso), from a Manuscript of the Perfection of Wisdom in Eight Thousand Lines (Ashtasahasrika Prajnaparamita-sutra)
Text, Folio 98 (verso), from a Manuscript of the Perfection of Wisdom in Eight Thousand Lines (Ashtasahasrika Prajnaparamita-sutra)
Text, folio 172 (verso), from a Manuscript of the Perfection of Wisdom in Eight Thousand Lines (Ashtasahasrika Prajnaparamita-sutra)
Text, folio 173 (verso), from a Manuscript of the Perfection of Wisdom in Eight Thousand Lines (Ashtasahasrika Prajnaparamita-sutra)
Text, Folio 86 (verso), from a Manuscript of the Perfection of Wisdom in Eight Thousand Lines (Ashtasahasrika Prajnaparamita-sutra)
Text, Folio 80 (verso), from a Manuscript of the Perfection of Wisdom in Eight Thousand Lines (Ashtasahasrika Prajnaparamita-sutra)
Text, Folio 66 (verso), from a Manuscript of the Perfection of Wisdom in Eight Thousand Lines (Ashtasahasrika Prajnaparamita-sutra)
Text, folio 155 (verso), from a Manuscript of the Perfection of Wisdom in Eight Thousand Lines (Ashtasahasrika Prajnaparamita-sutra)