Artwork
Text, Folio 65 (recto), from a Manuscript of the Perfection of Wisdom in Eight Thousand Lines (Ashtasahasrika Prajnaparamita-sutra)
Text, Folio 65 (recto), 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 work titled *Text, Folio 65 (recto)* is a painted representation of a manuscript page from the *Perfection of Wisdom in Eight Thousand Lines* (Ashtasahasrika Prajnaparamita‑sutra). Executed on a narrow, light‑colored wooden board, the image records three rectangular blocks of densely set Sanskrit script, each filled with tightly spaced horizontal lines of text.
Subject & Meaning
The depicted text belongs to a major Mahayana Buddhist sutra that expounds the concept of emptiness and the path to enlightenment. By reproducing a portion of this sacred scripture, the piece underscores the devotional function of the object, likely serving as a visual aid for recitation or contemplation within a ritual context.
Technique & Style
The artist employed pigment applied directly onto the wooden surface, preserving the linear precision of the calligraphic characters. The smooth, flat plane of the board and the minimal decorative elements focus attention on the script itself, while the two small perforations at either end suggest a utilitarian design for suspension or attachment.
History & Provenance
The folio originates from a manuscript tradition of the Ashtasahasrika Prajnaparamita, a text transmitted across the Indian subcontinent and into East Asia. The object now forms part of the Cleveland Museum of Art’s collection, acquired through the museum’s acquisitions of Asian religious artifacts.
Context
Manuscript folios such as this were commonly produced for monastic libraries and ceremonial use, often mounted on wooden boards for durability. The inclusion of holes for hanging aligns with practices of displaying sacred texts in shrines or on walls during liturgical events.
Legacy
As a visual record of a specific manuscript page, the work offers scholars insight into historical script styles, material culture, and the transmission of Buddhist teachings. Its preservation within a major museum ensures continued study of the interplay between text, art, and religious practice.
Artist & collection
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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 64 (recto), from a Manuscript of the Perfection of Wisdom in Eight Thousand Lines (Ashtasahasrika Prajnaparamita-sutra)
Text, Folio 128 (recto), from a Manuscript of the Perfection of Wisdom in Eight Thousand Lines (Ashtasahasrika Prajnaparamita-sutra)
Text, Folio 99 (recto), from a Manuscript of the Perfection of Wisdom in Eight Thousand Lines (Ashtasahasrika Prajnaparamita-sutra)
Text, Folio 126 (recto), from a Manuscript of the Perfection of Wisdom in Eight Thousand Lines (Ashtasahasrika Prajnaparamita-sutra)
Text, folio 170 (recto), from a Manuscript of the Perfection of Wisdom in Eight Thousand Lines (Ashtasahasrika Prajnaparamita-sutra)
Text, folio 160 (recto), from a Manuscript of the Perfection of Wisdom in Eight Thousand Lines (Ashtasahasrika Prajnaparamita-sutra)
Text, Folio 127 (recto), from a Manuscript of the Perfection of Wisdom in Eight Thousand Lines (Ashtasahasrika Prajnaparamita-sutra)
Text, Folio 106 (recto), from a Manuscript of the Perfection of Wisdom in Eight Thousand Lines (Ashtasahasrika Prajnaparamita-sutra)
Text, Folio 77 (recto), from a Manuscript of the Perfection of Wisdom in Eight Thousand Lines (Ashtasahasrika Prajnaparamita-sutra)
Text, Folio 95 (recto), from a Manuscript of the Perfection of Wisdom in Eight Thousand Lines (Ashtasahasrika Prajnaparamita-sutra)
Text, Folio 72 (recto), from a Manuscript of the Perfection of Wisdom in Eight Thousand Lines (Ashtasahasrika Prajnaparamita-sutra)