Thomas Phillips

This portraitback to top

The portrait was acquired with the traditional date 1802 attached to it but judging from the sitter's apparent age, about 45 or more, it should date from 1815-20. It does not appear in Phillips's Sitter Book which records four self-portraits: (1) 1793 'Myself No.3 head', probably that in the Royal Academy collection presented by Phillips as his diploma work. (2) 4 November 1798 'Myself No.85 head', probably that lent by his son H. W. Phillips to Third Exhibition of National Portraits, South Kensington, 1868 (7), bust to left in a blue cloak showing the left hand. (3) 18 November 1802 'Myself repainted No.167 ¾. (4) 1803 'Myself No.184 ¾'. The last two are presumably three-quarter-lengths and the whereabouts of both are unrecorded in the NPG archive. An enamel miniature copy by Henry Bone was in Exhibition of the Royal House of Guelph, New Gallery, 1891 (618) lent by Isaac Falcke. A self-portrait aged 74, unrecorded in the Sitter Book, was engraved in mezzotint by Lupton 1845, head and shoulders in an oval, cloak with dark velvet collar.

Physical descriptionback to top

Head and shoulders full-face aged c.45, in a painted oval holding brushes and palette, dark green coat, striped yellow waistcoat, white neckcloth and cravat.

Provenanceback to top

Bought from Lord Ribblesdale 1911.


This extended catalogue entry is from the out-of-print National Portrait Gallery collection catalogue: Richard Walker, Regency Portraits, National Portrait Gallery, 1985, and is as published then. For the most up-to-date details on individual Collection works, we recommend reading the information provided in the Search the Collection results on this website in parallel with this text.

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