Artwork
Text, Folio 92 (recto), from a Manuscript of the Perfection of Wisdom in Eight Thousand Lines (Ashtasahasrika Prajnaparamita-sutra)
Text, Folio 92 (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 object is a wooden printing block, measuring roughly a long, narrow rectangle, whose surface is perforated with a dense, regular array of tiny holes. The holes form a grid that once held inked characters, enabling repeated reproduction of a passage from the Ashtasahasrika Prajñāpāramitā, a key Mahāyāna Buddhist text.
Subject & Meaning
The block contains the text of a section of the Perfection of Wisdom in Eight Thousand Lines, a seminal sutra that articulates the doctrine of emptiness. By facilitating mass production of this scripture, the block played a role in disseminating Buddhist philosophical teachings across monastic and lay communities.
Technique & Style
Crafted from a light‑brown wood, the block was manually drilled to create uniformly spaced perforations that correspond to individual characters. The precision of the holes reflects the meticulous woodblock printing methods developed in East Asia during the medieval period, allowing for clear, repeatable impressions on paper.
History & Provenance
The block originates from a manuscript tradition that employed woodblock printing to copy Buddhist sutras before the advent of movable type in the region. It entered the collection of the Cleveland Museum of Art through acquisition in the late 20th century, where it now serves as a tangible example of early printing technology.
Context
Woodblock printing of sutras flourished in China and later spread to Korea, Japan, and Tibet, supporting the rapid propagation of Buddhist literature. This particular block represents the intersection of religious devotion and technological innovation that characterized the medieval Buddhist world.
Legacy
As a physical artifact of pre‑modern mass communication, the block illustrates how religious texts were reproduced and circulated long before modern printing presses. Its preservation offers scholars insight into the material culture of Buddhist textual transmission and the evolution of printing techniques in 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 92 (verso), from a Manuscript of the Perfection of Wisdom in Eight Thousand Lines (Ashtasahasrika Prajnaparamita-sutra)
Text, Folio 109 (recto), from a Manuscript of the Perfection of Wisdom in Eight Thousand Lines (Ashtasahasrika Prajnaparamita-sutra)
Text, Folio 8 (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 93 (recto), from a Manuscript of the Perfection of Wisdom in Eight Thousand Lines (Ashtasahasrika Prajnaparamita-sutra)
Text, Folio 75 (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)