What I can see

The marble statue of British Prime Minister George Canning is 2.3m high and is the work of sculptor Francis Legatt Chantrey. Canning is depicted in an imposing and strict style with his head looking to the left. His long cloak is pleated and the books symbolize his love for knowledge. He also holds official documents that perhaps symbolize the London Protocol (1830), that is, the international diplomatic act of the great powers that recognized Greece as an independent state, for which Canning had previously acted decisively. Greek sculptor Dimitrios Perakis designed the pedestal on which tribute is paid to Canning, his wife, his great-grandson, the sculptor and the mayor of Athens (Spyros Merkouris) when the sculpture was placed. Canningkos Square was a central and prosperous square. Today, it is much more limited and degraded, with the sculpture “suffocating” in this location.

What I can't see

At the beginning, George Canning (1770-1827) was not decisive in the Greek issue, but he was quite a flexible politician, as he tried to shape the best possible conditions for English trade by analyzing Greek intentions and testing the waters. The Greek war of independence had no clear outcome, as the Ottoman victories were overwhelming. Many of the barbarities of the war caused a European outcry in favour of the Greeks. To solve the Greek issue, Canning implemented a policy of Anglo-Russian rapprochement, which ultimately led to the Petersburg Protocol (1826) and then to the Treaty of London (1827), signed by all the great powers, putting pressure on the Ottoman Empire. The Ottoman Empire rejected the terms of the treaty, which led to the naval battle of Navarino that ultimately determined the success of the Greek War of Independence. Canning died a month after the treaty was signed, but his policy continued until the London Protocol (1830). The sculpture was a gift from his wife and relatives and was commissioned by the Duke of Sutherland. Before Athens, the sculpture was in Tremham Hall and Thornbridge. A copy by the same sculptor is located in Westminster Abbey in London.

Info

• Address: Canningkos Sq.

Bibliography