George O’Brien Wyndham, 3rd Earl of Egremont (1751-1837) in the North Gallery, Petworth

George O'Brien Wyndham, 3rd Earl of Egremont, was the greatest private art patron in early nineteenth-century Britain, whose estate at Petworth in Sussex became a gathering place for British artists including Turner, who was given permanent studio access. Thomas Phillips's 1839 portrait depicts the earl in his eighties, near the end of his extraordinarily long life during which he accumulated an art collection of first importance. Egremont's patronage model — providing artists with living quarters and financial support without demanding specified works — was unusual for the period and created the conditions for Turner's extraordinary Petworth paintings.

Phillips renders the gallery interior with careful attention to the setting that housed Egremont's celebrated collection. The portrait captures the patron in his natural environment, creating a dual image of individual character and cultural achievement.