Bottom cover, from a Manuscript of the Perfection of Wisdom in Eight Thousand Lines (Ashtasahasrika Prajnaparamita-sutra)Sunday, September 14, 1119 (year 239 of the Newar Samvat in the month of Ashvina) · Study 1938.301.189.b

Context from the museum

Palm-leaf manuscripts in the pothi format are recognizable by their long and horizontal shapes. In contrast to Western-style books that require one to turn the pages left-to-right or right-to-left, pothi are read by flipping the pages with a vertical motion. The palm-leaf pages would have been bound together by a cord attached to a peg that was run through the two binding holes on the top and bottom covers. The spot for the peg is still visible on the left side of this cover. When not in use, the manuscript would have been wrapped in ribbons and textiles that protected it from dust, moisture, and pests.

Museum description reproduced from its CC0 open-access record. Read the original catalog entry.

A detail to notice

Wooden covers helped to protect the fragile palm-leaf pages and keep the leaves compact.

Observation supplied by the Cleveland Museum of Art.

Read the dimensions before the image

The selected overall measurement for Bottom cover, from a Manuscript of the Perfection of Wisdom in Eight Thousand Lines (Ashtasahasrika Prajnaparamita-sutra) is 57 cm wide and 6.5 cm high, equivalent to approximately 22.4 × 2.6 inches. Dividing width by height gives a format ratio of 8.77:1. The rectangular bounding area is 0.04 square meters; it describes the measured footprint, not the amount of paint or the monetary value.

On an illustrative 300 cm wall, the recorded width occupies 19.0% of the span before adding a frame. A centered placement leaves approximately 121.5 cm on each side before adding a frame. These are calculations by Physical Art For Crypto using museum measurements. They are not the museum’s display recommendations.

Questions to bring to your own collection

With Bottom cover, from a Manuscript of the Perfection of Wisdom in Eight Thousand Lines (Ashtasahasrika Prajnaparamita-sutra) in view, identify one feature you can point to, then distinguish what the museum records from your personal response. Keep its medium, Gum tempera, paper, and colors on wood, in your notes when comparing contemporary works.

• Which part of this horizontal composition catches your eye first?
• Would a 57 cm width still suit the space after allowing for furniture and a frame?
• What surface detail would you need to see in person or in a close photograph?