This delicate and intricate drawing is an original and unique artwork from Japan, dating to the Mid-Showa period (1945–1965). Measuring 12 inches by 29 inches (30 cm x 74 cm), this distinctive piece was crafted by a skilled artist in Kyoto's renowned Nishijin district, the historic center of luxury Japanese textile weaving. Executed in pencil on thin, semi-transparent paper, the work served as a technical template or "shita-e" (under-drawing) for a woven obi, the wide traditional belt worn with a kimono. The artwork remains in very good condition, providing a rare look at the foundational drafting process used to create complex brocade patterns.

The composition features a majestic phoenix (hō-ō) with sweeping, elongated tail feathers that gracefully arc across the vertical field. The mythical bird is surrounded by a lush arrangement of peonies (botan), cherry blossoms (sakura), and wisteria, which are partially colored with soft washes of pink, blue, and yellow. Swirling, ethereal clouds and rhythmic, radiating lines create a sense of celestial movement. The artist has utilized precise, fine-line drafting to indicate the specific placement of floral clusters and the flow of the phoenix's plumage, which would later be translated into rich silk and metallic threads on the loom.

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