Late Autumn Day in the Jægersborg Deer Park, North of Copenhagen

This painting marked the first time that Philipsen used the brushwork technique employed by his good friend, Paul Gauguin. The result is a thoroughly Impressionist painting featuring contrasting complementary colours and an original composition.

During his stay in Copenhagen in the winter of 1884-85 Paul Gauguin gained great respect and sympathy for Theodor Philipsen. In Philipsen, Gauguin found a fine artist who was sympathetic to the endeavours of the Impressionists, but he also, and very importantly, found a Danish artist who spoke French. A partner for conversation and a keen listener. For his part, Philipsen received a thorough introduction to the colour theories behind Impressionism as well as practical advice on techniques and how to apply them. A good friend of Philipsen, Karl Madsen - who was an art historian and advocate of Naturalism in Denmark - said the following about Gauguin’s advice, based on conversations with Philipsen: "To achieve an impression of scintillating light and colour he should try employing different means; long and narrow brushes, short and firm brushstrokes; he should ensure that the brush was well loaded with paint so that the colours in the paintings turned out clear and firm, rich and full."

Philipsen’s employed Gauguin’s technique for the first time in Late Autumn Day in the Jægersborg Deer Park, North of Copenhagen. The result is a consistently Impressionist painting. The short, saturated brushstrokes and the delicately balanced contrasts between complementary colours have been applied throughout the image, which vibrates with light, colour, and atmosphere. The composition itself is also original; it introduces the road at a right angle and repeats and mirrors this movement in the road sign.