Philipson’s early work predominantly focused on landscapes, still lifes and interiors. Then, late in the 1950s, the artist began to explore two further themes in his work: cathedral exteriors and the rose window. Commenting upon a visit at that time to Amiens in France, Philipson said: “What impressed me about cathedrals like Rouen and Amiens was the powerful window tracery seen from outside and the sense of ascending.”