Vice-Admiral Sir Richard Onslow (1741-1817)

Phillips's portrait of Vice-Admiral Sir Richard Onslow from 1850 depicts the naval officer whose daring at the Battle of Camperdown in 1797—the decisive victory over the Dutch fleet that confirmed British naval supremacy in the North Sea—had made him a celebrated hero of the French Revolutionary Wars. Onslow's Camperdown contribution, leading his division through the Dutch line with aggressive initiative, was credited with contributing significantly to the total victory that destroyed the Batavian Republic's naval power. The 1850 date is posthumous—Onslow died in 1817—suggesting a commemorative portrait or institutional copy made decades after the sitter's death to document his contribution to British naval history.

The naval portrait presents Onslow with the martial authority appropriate to a distinguished commander. Greenwich's collection demands portraits that meet high standards of naval historical documentation. Phillips's handling renders the uniform and decorations with appropriate precision while capturing the sitter's individual character.