Tennin from Nanzen-ji Temple

This artwork is from Nanzen-ji Temple (南禅寺) in Kyoto, Japan — one of the most important Zen temples of the Rinzai school.

This painting likely depicts a Tennin (heavenly being) or Hōō (phoenix) from the ceiling of a hall within the temple complex.

Such celestial beings and mythical birds are often depicted in temple art as symbols of divine presence, purity, and transcendence, and their placement on ceilings or upper walls reflects their association with the heavens.

Nanzen-ji is known for its rich artistic heritage, including paintings by Kano school artists, so this piece might be influenced by or even created by painters from that lineage.