The Artist
Capturing the enduring spirit and splendour of the Vatican in a golden new light.
Peter Phillips, artist and architectural reconstruction illustrator, has held a lifelong fascination for the art, architecture and history of Rome and the Vatican.
Throughout his career, Peter has worked across a broad range of artistic disciplines, from fine art and large-scale sculpture to landscape, portraiture, mural work, architectural studies and historical reconstruction.
Working across many different media and techniques, his practice combines artistic interpretation with the close observation and meticulous draughtsmanship demanded by architectural and historical subjects.
His longstanding interest in architecture, landscape and historic places has also found expression through a series of artist-led self-publications, including Bamburgh – The King of Castles, Alnwick Parks Sketchbook, and the Northumberland Sketchbook.
Recent commissioned work has also included book illustration for the Percy family and the Duke of Northumberland, incorporating historical reconstruction alongside original artwork.
Since 2024, The Vatican – An Artist’s View has been in formal development. The idea itself first took root more than twenty years ago.
Through many subsequent visits to Rome and the Vatican, together with Peter’s continuing study of its art, architecture and history, it has gradually evolved into the project it is today.
The completed project will produce a substantial body of original artworks accompanied by written reflections on Peter’s experience of observing and interpreting this extraordinary Holy place.
Figure 1: Peter’s original sketch. Each painting and drawing begins this way, developing a feel for the layout and composition.
Figure 2: Once happy with the composition, Peter transfers the sketch onto a suitable substrate and begins bringing the painting to life.
Figure 3: An example of how Peter combines calculated imagining with period references to create a considered impression of how Nero’s Circus might have appeared.
Figure 4: Again, the sketchwork is traced onto the surface of the paper, ready for the absorbing and meticulous process of watercolour painting.