Artwork
Text, folio 52 (verso), from a Manuscript of the Perfection of Wisdom in Eight Thousand Lines (Ashtasahasrika Prajnaparamita-sutra)
Text, folio 52 (verso), from a Manuscript of the Perfection of Wisdom in Eight Thousand Lines (Ashtasahasrika Prajnaparamita-sutra) is an unspecified painting by the Byzantine icon painting artist Unknown. It dates from 14 and is held in the collection of the Cleveland Museum of Art.
About this work
Overview
This artwork is a detail from a historical manuscript page, specifically folio 52 (verso), of the Ashtasahasrika Prajnaparamita-sutra, or the Perfection of Wisdom in Eight Thousand Lines. The page features text in an unidentified script, divided into three sections, on light brown, aged paper.
Subject & Meaning
The subject is the textual representation of a Buddhist scripture, the Ashtasahasrika Prajnaparamita-sutra. The meaning lies in its religious and philosophical content, central to Mahayana Buddhism, focusing on the perfection of wisdom.
Technique & Style
The text is executed in black ink with a calligraphic style notable for its intricacy and flourishes, suggesting a decorative, possibly sacred, manuscript tradition. The paper's rough edge and the layout with central holes in each section may indicate a specific binding or display practice.
History & Provenance
While the exact origins and history of this folio are not provided, its age, style, and the scripture it contains suggest an ancient Asian (likely Indian or Southeast Asian) origin, given the geographical and historical context of the Prajnaparamita sutras.
Context
This manuscript page would have been part of a larger religious or scholarly collection, used for study, ritual, or as an object of devotion within a Buddhist community. Its wear and tear indicate extensive handling over time.
Legacy
As part of the Prajnaparamita literature, this manuscript contributes to the preservation and transmission of key Mahayana Buddhist teachings. Its artistic execution also reflects the aesthetic values placed on sacred texts in its culture of origin.
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 106 (verso), from a Manuscript of the Perfection of Wisdom in Eight Thousand Lines (Ashtasahasrika Prajnaparamita-sutra)
Text, folio 52 (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 112 (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 44 (verso), from a Manuscript of the Perfection of Wisdom in Eight Thousand Lines (Ashtasahasrika Prajnaparamita-sutra)
Text, Folio 118 (verso), from a Manuscript of the Perfection of Wisdom in Eight Thousand Lines (Ashtasahasrika Prajnaparamita-sutra)
Text, folio 162 (verso), from a Manuscript of the Perfection of Wisdom in Eight Thousand Lines (Ashtasahasrika Prajnaparamita-sutra)