Sir Robin Philipson was a highly influential figure in 20th century Scottish Art. Throughout his life, Philipson championed the importance of Scottish institutions such as the Royal Scottish Academy, Society of Scottish Artists and the Royal Scottish Society of Painters. His involvement in multiple societies and programmes showed a true dedication and valued contribution to Scottish Art, while his prolific painting practice allowed him to gain significant recognition as a working artist.
In his youth, Philipson studied at Dumfries Academy and Edinburgh College of Art (1936-40). After the Second World War (where he was posted to Burma with the Kings Own Scottish Borderers and Royal India Army Service Corps), Philipson returned to the College of Art in 1947, taking up a general teaching post and eventually Head of Drawing and Painting. Throughout his time at the College, Philipson achieved numerous honours and awards. These include President of the Royal Scottish Academy (1973-83), awarded ‘Commander de l'Ordre du Merit de la Republique Francaise’, served on the Royal Fine Art Commission (1965-1980), knighted in 1976, elected a Fellow of the Royal Society of Edinburgh in 1978 and elected Royal Academician in 1981.
Over the 1950s and 60s Philipson’s practice moved from early landscape and still life scenes to images of cathedral interiors, figures, flowers and animals (most notably series of poppies and cockfighting paintings). Painted with bold colour and dynamic brushstrokes often layered with impasto, Philipson’s practice took major inspiration from the Abstract and American Expressionists in particular Austrian artist Oskar Kokoschka, as well as fellow Edinburgh School artists, Sir William Gillies and John Maxwell.