Artwork
Text, folio 175 (recto), from a Manuscript of the Perfection of Wisdom in Eight Thousand Lines (Ashtasahasrika Prajnaparamita-sutra)
Text, folio 175 (recto), 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 rectangular folio from a medieval Buddhist manuscript, measuring roughly a hand‑span in height and extending horizontally.
About this work
Overview
The object is a rectangular folio from a medieval Buddhist manuscript, measuring roughly a hand‑span in height and extending horizontally. Its parchment base carries a light brown hue, over which three blocks of densely written script appear in dark brown ink. Thin separating lines and small perforations mark the divisions, giving the page a restrained, orderly appearance.
Subject & Meaning
The inscribed text is a passage from the Ashtasahasrika Prajñāpāramitā, known as the Perfection of Wisdom in Eight Thousand Lines. This sutra expounds the concept of emptiness and the transcendence of conceptual thought, forming a central doctrinal source for Mahāyāna Buddhism.
Technique & Style
The script is rendered in a fine, continuous hand characteristic of Indian or Central Asian Buddhist manuscript traditions, using a brush or reed pen that produces uniform, compact characters. The ink, a dark brown pigment, contrasts subtly with the parchment, while the thin dividing lines and perforations reflect a practical layout for reading and binding.
History & Provenance
The folio is part of a larger codex that once formed a complete copy of the Eight Thousand Line Prajñāpāramitā. It entered the collection of the Cleveland Museum of Art through acquisition in the 20th century, though the precise origin—whether Indian, Tibetan, or Chinese—and its dating remain subjects of scholarly investigation.
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 8 (recto), from a Manuscript of the Perfection of Wisdom in Eight Thousand Lines (Ashtasahasrika Prajnaparamita-sutra)
Text, folio 172 (recto), from a Manuscript of the Perfection of Wisdom in Eight Thousand Lines (Ashtasahasrika Prajnaparamita-sutra)
Text, Folio 88 (recto), from a Manuscript of the Perfection of Wisdom in Eight Thousand Lines (Ashtasahasrika Prajnaparamita-sutra)
Text, Folio 80 (recto), from a Manuscript of the Perfection of Wisdom in Eight Thousand Lines (Ashtasahasrika Prajnaparamita-sutra)
Text, Folio 146 (recto), from a Manuscript of the Perfection of Wisdom in Eight Thousand Lines (Ashtasahasrika Prajnaparamita-sutra)
Text, Folio 95 (recto), from a Manuscript of the Perfection of Wisdom in Eight Thousand Lines (Ashtasahasrika Prajnaparamita-sutra)
Text, folio 170 (recto), from a Manuscript of the Perfection of Wisdom in Eight Thousand Lines (Ashtasahasrika Prajnaparamita-sutra)
Text, Folio 71 (recto), from a Manuscript of the Perfection of Wisdom in Eight Thousand Lines (Ashtasahasrika Prajnaparamita-sutra)
Text, Folio 21 (recto), from a Manuscript of the Perfection of Wisdom in Eight Thousand Lines (Ashtasahasrika Prajnaparamita-sutra)