Philipson?s paintings inspired by the interiors of Mexican churches concentrate on the structural form of the altar. The baroque shapes, influenced by the more elaborate Mexican churches further south, were dark with natural wood yet with flashes of brilliant colour. These paintings precede Philipson's more lavishly coloured cathedral interiors, but they served a purpose. They brought strong geometrical shapes into the artist?s work, allowing him to orchestrate his colour within a strict framework.
Sir Robin Philipson (Scottish, 1916 - 1992)
Born in Cumbria, Philipson moved to Scotland with his family when he was fourteen. He studied at Edinburgh College of Art, where he joined the teaching staff in 1947 and taught until his retirement in 1982. His early work - mainly landscapes, still lifes and interiors - was strongly influenced by Kokoschka, whose painting `Zrani? Philipson had studied at length. Later in the 1950s he became interested in the work of the American Abstract Expressionists. He became particularly well known for his paintings of cock fights, which helped to establish his reputation as a painter. Philipson?s paintings were notable for their energy and use of rich, jewel-like colour. His diverse subjects included catherdral interiors, soldiers, exotic wild animals and poppies.
