Artwork
Text, folio 180 (verso), from a Manuscript of the Perfection of Wisdom in Eight Thousand Lines (Ashtasahasrika Prajnaparamita-sutra)
Text, folio 180 (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, elongated sheet of handmade paper bearing a segment of Buddhist scripture.
About this work
Overview
The object is a narrow, elongated sheet of handmade paper bearing a segment of Buddhist scripture. Dark brown ink, now partially faded, records three blocks of text, the central block containing the most lines. The paper’s light brown hue, rough surface, and slight tears at the edges reveal its age, while two small perforations near the top and bottom suggest historical handling or binding.
Subject & Meaning
The inscription comprises a portion of the Ashtasahasrika Prajnaparamita‑sutra, a key Mahayana text 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 doctrinal foundation for Buddhist philosophical practice.
Technique & Style
The script is executed in a single‑brush calligraphic hand, typical of East Asian manuscript traditions. The ink, derived from soot and animal glue, penetrates the fibrous paper, producing a deep, matte tone that has darkened with time. The layout—three distinct sections with variable line counts—reflects conventional sutra formatting, facilitating oral recitation.
History & Provenance
The leaf originates from a larger codex that was once part of a monastic collection. It entered the Cleveland Museum of Art through a 20th‑century acquisition, documented in the museum’s Asian manuscripts catalog. The manuscript’s provenance traces back to a Tibetan or Himalayan workshop, though precise origins remain uncertain.
Context
Manuscripts of the Prajnaparamita corpus were widely copied for liturgical use and scholarly study across Central and East Asia. This fragment exemplifies the transmission of Buddhist textual culture and the material practices of manuscript production that supported the spread of Mahayana doctrine throughout the medieval period.
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 27 (verso), from a Manuscript of the Perfection of Wisdom in Eight Thousand Lines (Ashtasahasrika Prajnaparamita-sutra)
Text, Folio 23 (verso), from a Manuscript of the Perfection of Wisdom in Eight Thousand Lines (Ashtasahasrika Prajnaparamita-sutra)
Text, Folio 28 (verso), from a Manuscript of the Perfection of Wisdom in Eight Thousand Lines (Ashtasahasrika Prajnaparamita-sutra)
Text, Folio 113 (verso), from a Manuscript of the Perfection of Wisdom in Eight Thousand Lines (Ashtasahasrika Prajnaparamita-sutra)
Text, folio 179 (verso), from a Manuscript of the Perfection of Wisdom in Eight Thousand Lines (Ashtasahasrika Prajnaparamita-sutra)
Text, Folio 37 (verso), from a Manuscript of the Perfection of Wisdom in Eight Thousand Lines (Ashtasahasrika Prajnaparamita-sutra)
Text, Folio 60 (verso), from a Manuscript of the Perfection of Wisdom in Eight Thousand Lines (Ashtasahasrika Prajnaparamita-sutra)
Text, Folio 88 (verso), from a Manuscript of the Perfection of Wisdom in Eight Thousand Lines (Ashtasahasrika Prajnaparamita-sutra)
Text, Folio 67 (verso), from a Manuscript of the Perfection of Wisdom in Eight Thousand Lines (Ashtasahasrika Prajnaparamita-sutra)
Text, Folio 76 (verso), from a Manuscript of the Perfection of Wisdom in Eight Thousand Lines (Ashtasahasrika Prajnaparamita-sutra)
Text, Folio 116 (verso), from a Manuscript of the Perfection of Wisdom in Eight Thousand Lines (Ashtasahasrika Prajnaparamita-sutra)
Text, Folio 64 (verso), from a Manuscript of the Perfection of Wisdom in Eight Thousand Lines (Ashtasahasrika Prajnaparamita-sutra)