Theodor Philipsen (1840–1920)
The Road “Inter muros” Behind Villa Borghese, 1902
Oil on canvas

In the spring and summer of 1902, Theodor Philipsen travelled around Italy. He spent three months in Rome, where he painted approximately twenty pictures.¹ In addition to the present example, The David Collection owns two other paintings from the period (B 398) (B 401). Together, they testify to how Philipsen was, at this point in time, fond of painting picturesque road scenes from the outskirts of Rome.

In The Road “Inter muros” Behind Villa Borghese, the day is coming to an end. A herd of white sheep grazes out in the open, on their way back to the barn, and the farmer on the donkey cart is heading home before darkness falls. However, such small narratives are not Philipsen’s real focus. Rather, his main objective is to capture a fleeting impression as the evening sun sinks in these southern skies.

Rendered in rapid, sketch-like strokes, the sunset and the almost transcendent atmosphere it evokes in the sky and in nature becomes the main subject of The Road “Inter muros” Behind Villa Borghese. In addition, the painting is an excellent example of Philipsen’s gift for making an image vibrate with light by means of short, saturated brushstrokes. He worked very deliberately to create an evening mood, as is clearly evident in the golden light glowing in the sky, in the crowns of the trees, on the masonry and on the road in the foreground. Particularly noteworthy are the warm, smouldering pink and blue-violet hues, which not only showcase Philipsen’s unique sense of colour, but also his ability to create images that form a carefully balanced, harmonious whole.