Mr Barratt

Phillips's portrait of Mr. Barratt from 1810, held at the Brighton Museum and Art Gallery, documents an individual from the Brighton area whose specific identity remains insufficiently documented to provide more biographical detail. Brighton in 1810 was undergoing the transformation from a modest seaside resort into the fashionable destination that the Prince Regent's patronage and the construction of the Royal Pavilion were creating, and its prosperous residents formed a natural market for portrait commissions. The Brighton holding places this work within the institutional documentation of a specific regional community whose social history Phillips's portraits help document.

The portrait follows Phillips's standard approach for middle-class sitters—competent, dignified, and focused on individual characterization. The handling is workmanlike, with careful attention to the face and professional treatment of costume. The Brighton location reflects the town's cultural ambitions.