Artwork
Text, Folio 28 (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) is an unspecified painting by Unknown. It dates from 14 and is held in the collection of the Cleveland Museum of Art. This object is a narrow wooden leaf bearing three blocks of script, each set off by a small gap.
About this work
Overview
This object is a narrow wooden leaf bearing three blocks of script, each set off by a small gap. The dark inked characters run in orderly rows across the light‑brown, smoothly finished surface. Though classified as a painting, the work functions primarily as a textual artifact, preserving a passage from the Ashtasahasrika Prajnaparamita, a key Mahayana Buddhist sutra.
Subject & Meaning
The inscribed passage belongs to the Perfection of Wisdom in Eight Thousand Lines, a doctrinal text that elaborates on the nature of emptiness and the path to enlightenment. Its inclusion on this medium underscores the reverence afforded to sacred scripture, presenting the teachings in a durable, portable format for study or ritual recitation.
Technique & Style
The script is rendered in a formal, calligraphic hand typical of Buddhist manuscript production, using a dark pigment applied with a fine brush. The wood panel, selected for its light hue and smooth grain, provides a stable base that enhances legibility and preserves the ink. The layout—three rectangular text blocks—reflects a systematic approach to organizing extensive sutra material.
History & Provenance
The leaf originates from a larger manuscript of the Ashtasahasrika Prajnaparamita, likely produced in a monastic setting where wooden tablets served as reusable writing surfaces. Its current location is within the collection of the Cleveland Museum of Art, where it forms part of a broader assemblage of Buddhist textual artifacts.
Context
During the period when wooden tablets were employed for script, Buddhist scholars often favored such media for their durability and ease of transport across regions. This practice facilitated the dissemination of the Prajnaparamita teachings along trade routes, contributing to the sutra’s widespread influence throughout East Asia.
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 24 (verso), from a Manuscript of the Perfection of Wisdom in Eight Thousand Lines (Ashtasahasrika Prajnaparamita-sutra)
Text, Folio 72 (verso), from a Manuscript of the Perfection of Wisdom in Eight Thousand Lines (Ashtasahasrika Prajnaparamita-sutra)
Text, folio 54 (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 88 (verso), from a Manuscript of the Perfection of Wisdom in Eight Thousand Lines (Ashtasahasrika Prajnaparamita-sutra)
Text, Folio 138 (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)