Aubrey R. Philips “Harbour Nocturne” Antique Painting Print (61 cm x 85cm)

Aubrey R. Philips “Harbour Nocturne” Antique Painting
Print (61 cm x 85cm)

Aubrey R. Philips

Born 1920, Astley, Worcestershire. Died 2005.

Aubrey Phillips was a landscape artist who acknowledged Turner and the Impressionists as his main influences. He studied at Stourbridge School of Art and at Kidderminster School of Art where he was taught by Cyril Lavenstein, a celebrated exponent of the techniques of watercolour and pastels which Phillips used throughout his career. He lived in Malvern in Worcestershire and painted extensively in the area as well in Wales and Scotland.

Phillips was awarded a Gold Medal at the Paris Salon in 1966; he exhibited at the Timaeus Gallery, Birmingham (1981) and the Patricia Wells Gallery, Thornbury (1988), a solo exhibition of his work was shown at the National Library of Wales, Aberystwyth.

He lectured at Malvern Hills College and Bourneville School of Art and published eight books including ‘Atmospheric Landscapes in Watercolour’ (1990), ‘Watercolour Painting’ (1997) and ‘Painting with Pastels’ (1993), he also made an instructional DVD with the same title.

SPK/124

Felix Rosenstiel’s Widow & Son Ltd, 1971

About this piece

This atmospheric harbour scene showcases Phillips’ masterful handling of light and reflection, hallmarks of his Turner-influenced approach. The composition captures a bustling waterfront at dusk or dawn, with gondola-like vessels rendered in warm ochres and reds against a luminous turquoise water. The cityscape beyond glows with amber and gold, set against a moody, layered sky of blue and grey — a study in atmospheric perspective that demonstrates the techniques Phillips taught and wrote about throughout his career.

The print reveals his accomplished watercolour sensibility translated to paper: the subtle gradations of colour, the way light dissolves into shadow, and the economy of line that suggests rather than defines form. Published by Felix Rosenstiel’s Widow & Son Ltd in 1971, this is a fine example of mid-twentieth-century British landscape printmaking. The condition is excellent, with good colour saturation and no visible foxing or damage. Framed or unframed, it remains a striking piece for those drawn to atmospheric, contemplative landscapes.