The Cleveland Museum of Art

Collection Online as of July 14, 2026

Six rows of dark ink script are brushed across a horizontally oriented fiber paper leaf. Two circular holes, encircled by faded red rings, pierce the beige surface. Faded red dashes punctuate the text. The tan material exhibits a visible horizontal grain and slightly uneven, worn edges. The composition is defined by the dense calligraphy and the repetitive geometric motifs of the crimson accents and circular voids.

Leaf from a Buddhist Manuscript (recto)

c. 1700

Sri Lanka, Singhalese, Late 17th century

fiber paper
Overall: 6.4 cm (2 1/2 in.)
Educational Purchase Fund 1949.227.3.a
Location: Not on view

Description

Palm leaf material is still used for manuscripts in Sri Lanka. The palm leaves are prepared first by boiling them, drying them in the sun, and then rubbing them with oils. Scribes then use a metal stylus to incise the text. Then charcoal powder is wiped across the pages, filling in only the inscribed lines.
  • ?-–1949
    William E. Ward [1922-2004], Cleveland, OH, sold to the Cleveland Museum of Art
    1949–
    The Cleveland Museum of Art, Cleveland, OH
  • {{cite web|title=Leaf from a Buddhist Manuscript (recto)|url=false|author=|year=c. 1700|access-date=14 July 2026|publisher=Cleveland Museum of Art}}

Source URL:

https://www.clevelandart.org/art/1949.227.3.a