Detail Photos

Featured here is a nice old wooden Buddhist funerary printing block featuring a figure in lotus position seated under a parasol with various auspicious symbols surrounding him. This block is designed for printing an image on bi-fold paper, hence the way we have situated the photo highlights the figurative section of the block and the text part is upside down above. Of course when you fold the paper the image has been imparted to, it would all be right side up.

The paper created by this block becomes a sort of effigy for the diseased and is burned as part of the funeral ritual. The aim of the ritual is to insure a positive rebirth at least, and liberation from cyclic existence at best.

This block printer has good age probably in the area of 100 years old. The printing surface is worn and the wood has a nice patina. The method these were traditionally used is for the block to be covered in ink, the the locally made paper is placed on to the carved surface and pressure is applied by to the back back of the paper, which in turn imparts the image to the front of the paper.