Artwork
Text, folio 172 (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) is an unspecified painting by Unknown. It dates from 14 and is held in the collection of the Cleveland Museum of Art.
About this work
Overview
The surface displays a uniform light‑brown hue, and the incised letters are organized in tidy vertical columns, resembling the arrangement of typewriter keys.
The object is a slender wooden printing block, measuring several centimeters in height and extending in length, carved with rows of diminutive characters. The surface displays a uniform light‑brown hue, and the incised letters are organized in tidy vertical columns, resembling the arrangement of typewriter keys. Each line of carving corresponds to a line of text that could be transferred onto paper or fabric by pressing the block against an inked surface.
Subject & Meaning
The block contains a passage from the Buddhist scripture known as the Perfection of Wisdom in Eight Thousand Lines, or the Ashtasahasrika Prajnaparamita‑sutra. This sutra articulates the concept of emptiness and the transcendence of conceptual thought, forming a central component of Mahayana doctrinal literature.
Technique & Style
Crafted from a single piece of wood, the block was meticulously carved with a fine cutting tool to produce uniformly spaced characters. The precision of the incisions suggests a skilled hand familiar with both calligraphic forms and the practical demands of block printing, allowing for consistent reproduction of the sutra’s verses.
History & Provenance
The block originates from a manuscript tradition that employed wooden blocks for mass production of sacred texts in East Asia. While the exact provenance is not recorded, similar blocks are held in collections such as the Cleveland Museum of Art, indicating a broader historical practice of disseminating Buddhist scriptures through woodblock printing.
Context
During the period when the Ashtasahasrika Prajnaparamita‑sutra was widely circulated, woodblock printing emerged as a primary technology for reproducing religious literature. This method facilitated the spread of Mahayana teachings across monastic and lay communities, supporting the doctrinal emphasis on accessible wisdom.
Legacy
Wooden printing blocks like this one represent an early form of reproducible media that paved the way for later developments in printing technology. Their role in preserving and transmitting Buddhist texts contributed to the enduring influence of the Prajnaparamita literature throughout East Asian cultural history.
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 170 (verso), from a Manuscript of the Perfection of Wisdom in Eight Thousand Lines (Ashtasahasrika Prajnaparamita-sutra)
Text, Folio 18 (verso), from a Manuscript of the Perfection of Wisdom in Eight Thousand Lines (Ashtasahasrika Prajnaparamita-sutra)
Text, Folio 107 (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 164 (verso), from a Manuscript of the Perfection of Wisdom in Eight Thousand Lines (Ashtasahasrika Prajnaparamita-sutra)
Text, folio 156 (verso), from a Manuscript of the Perfection of Wisdom in Eight Thousand Lines (Ashtasahasrika Prajnaparamita-sutra)
Text, Folio 112 (verso), from a Manuscript of the Perfection of Wisdom in Eight Thousand Lines (Ashtasahasrika Prajnaparamita-sutra)