Artwork
Text, folio 185 (verso), from a Manuscript of the Perfection of Wisdom in Eight Thousand Lines (Ashtasahasrika Prajnaparamita-sutra)
Text, folio 185 (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 object is a narrow wooden strip taken from folio 185 (verso) of a manuscript of the *Ashtasahasrika Prajñāpāramitā*—the Perfection of Wisdom in Eight Thousand Lines. Rather than a painted image, it functions as a practical tool, featuring rows of minute punched holes that form a regular, grid‑like pattern across its surface.
Context
The perforated strip served as a stencil or template for reproducing text or decorative motifs. Ink or pigment could be applied through the holes, allowing scribes to generate consistent characters or designs when copying the sutra, thereby ensuring uniformity in the manuscript’s intricate script.
Technique & Style
Crafted from a thin piece of wood, the strip was manually pierced with a fine awl or similar instrument to create the precise, evenly spaced apertures. The resulting dot matrix reflects a meticulous, utilitarian aesthetic, emphasizing accuracy over decorative flourish.
History & Provenance
The wooden stencil is part of the Cleveland Museum of Art’s collection of Asian manuscripts and related artifacts. Its acquisition reflects the museum’s broader holdings of Buddhist texts and the material culture associated with their production.
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 185 (recto), from a Manuscript of the Perfection of Wisdom in Eight Thousand Lines (Ashtasahasrika Prajnaparamita-sutra)
Text, Folio 8 (verso), from a Manuscript of the Perfection of Wisdom in Eight Thousand Lines (Ashtasahasrika Prajnaparamita-sutra)
Text, folio 184 (verso), from a Manuscript of the Perfection of Wisdom in Eight Thousand Lines (Ashtasahasrika Prajnaparamita-sutra)
Text, Folio 132 (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)
Text, folio 177 (verso), from a Manuscript of the Perfection of Wisdom in Eight Thousand Lines (Ashtasahasrika Prajnaparamita-sutra)
Text, Folio 22 (verso), from a Manuscript of the Perfection of Wisdom in Eight Thousand Lines (Ashtasahasrika Prajnaparamita-sutra)