The Duke of York (1763–1827)

Phillips's portrait of the Duke of York from 1823 depicts the second son of George III and Commander-in-Chief of the British Army—a figure of enormous military administrative importance despite the personal scandals that had temporarily forced him from the Commander-in-Chief's position in 1809. The Duke of York's portrait was a standard commission type for military institutions and regimental messes throughout the British army, and Phillips's version served the official documentation function appropriate to the head of the army's administrative structure. His military portraits combined the formal conventions of official portraiture with the specific uniform and decorations that identified the sitter's rank and honors within the military hierarchy.

The military portrait presents the duke in uniform, with decorations and insignia rendered with the precise attention to detail that such official portraits demanded. Phillips's handling of military dress and accoutrements demonstrates his competence with this specialized genre. The ducal bearing is conveyed through formal pose and direct gaze.