Sudhana and a Parrot: Folio 20 (recto), from a Gandavyuha-sutra (Scripture of the Supreme Array)

1000–1100s

Sudhana and a Parrot: Folio 20 (recto), from a Gandavyuha-sutra (Scripture of the Supreme Array), 1000–1100s. Nepal. Gum tempera and ink on palm leaf; average: 4.2 x 52.4 cm (1 5/8 x 20 5/8 in.). The Cleveland Museum of Art, Purchase from the J. H. Wade Fund 1955.49.1.a On his quest to find teachers to guide him to enlightenment, the pilgrim Sudhana traveled alone through the wilderness. The tree and parrot indicate the forests of southern India. Graceful lines and vibrant color contribute to the enduring visual appeal of the paintings of this manuscript. In a stylistic convention of the time, the artist extended the "farther eye" beyond the contours of the face. The parrot is actually an Indian ring-necked parakeet, with red beak and long tail.