Artwork

Text, folio 53 (verso), from a Manuscript of the Perfection of Wisdom in Eight Thousand Lines (Ashtasahasrika Prajnaparamita-sutra)

Text, folio 53 (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. This wooden block is a printing tool used to produce Buddhist texts.

About this work

This is a wooden block with rows of tiny, carved letters. The letters are arranged in neat columns, like typewriter keys. Two small white circles sit on the wood near the edges.

The block was used to print Buddhist texts—this one’s called *Perfection of Wisdom*. The date carved into it is 1119, written in a different calendar.

Look up The Cleveland Museum of Art to see more pieces like this.

Overview

This wooden block is a printing tool used to produce Buddhist texts. It features intricately carved letters in a grid pattern.

Technique & Style

The letters are arranged in neat columns, resembling the layout of typewriter keys. The block's surface also includes two small white circles near the edges.

History & Provenance

The block bears a date corresponding to 1119 in the Western calendar, indicating when it was carved. It is part of The Cleveland Museum of Art's collection.

Subject & Meaning

The text printed from this block is the 'Perfection of Wisdom in Eight Thousand Lines', a Buddhist scripture known as the Ashtasahasrika Prajnaparamita-sutra.