Although he produced and exhibited a small number of paintings of scriptural subjects early on in his career, he spent most of his life working as a portrait artist.

[2] He was born in London, the younger son of the portraitist Thomas Phillips, from whom he received most of his art tuition.

His commissions included the portraits of actor Charles Kean (as Louis XI) for the Garrick Club, Dr William Prout for the Royal College of Physicians, and Robert Stephenson for the Institution of Civil Engineers.

[1][2] Phillips was a close friend of George Frederic Watts, with whom he was a founding member of London's Cosmopolitan Club (est.

[2] He was also a captain in the Artists Rifles Volunteer Force,[1] which he established in 1860 at his art studio along with fellow founding commander Frederic Leighton.