Page 394 - Beholding Liberty!

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G. Kountouriotis,
P. Mavromichalis, Rigas, Al. Ypsilantis
Georgios Kountouriotis (1782-1858)
HYDRAEAN SHIP OWNER, notable and politician. In the pre-revolution period, his family due to its entrepreneurial activi- ty, had in its possession a large part of the merchant fleet of the island, the mastermind behind it being Georgios’ most powerful brother, Lazaros. As owners of an important shipping capital, the Kountouriotes took part in the Struggle mainly by offering financial support to meet the military needs and especially the expenses for the equipment and conservation of the fleet.
In 1823 Georgios Kountouriotis appears in the central political scene as plenipotentiary of Hydra in the Second National As- sembly of Astros (29 March-30 April 1823), while in 1824 he occupied the post of President of the Executive Body, in which he remained throughout the civil disputes. His involvement in the latter and his conflict with Theodoros Kolokotronis inflicted a heavy blow on the Struggle.
At the beginning of 1825 he took on the responsibility of the military operations against the Turkish-Egyptian forces, his inex- perience however led to successive failures, resulting in his sub- mitting his resignation.
During the Kapodistrian period, he initially accepted to participate in the Panhellenion as magistrate (‘president’) in the Department of Economy (1828) and subsequently in the Senate (1829), soon though he joined the anti-Kapodistrian party. He served again in high administrative and political positions in the course of Otto’s administration, remaining until his death devoted to king Otto.
394 BEHOLDING LIBERTY!
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Konrad Lange (1809-1856)
Medallion of Georgios Kountouriotis, 1836
obverse: Allegorical presentation of the reborn Greece
reverse: Portrait of Georgios Kountouriotis
signed: Κ. ΛΑΓΓKΕ (front side)
inscribed: ΓΕΩΡΓ. ΚΟΥΝΤΟΥΡΙΩΤΗΣ – ΠΡΟΕΔΡΟΣ (front side) ΚΥΡΙΟΣ ΕΞΕΛΕΙΤΑΙ ΜΕ ΕΚ ΧΕΙΡΟΣ ΤΟΥ ΑΛΛΟΦΥΛΟΥ • 1825 (back side) bifacial bronze medallion, diameter 4.4 cm
Hellenic Parliament Art Collection, inv. n. 884
ONE OF THE SERIES OF 12 BRONZE MEDALS
with elaborate figures and events of the Greek War of Indepen- dence published by Konrad Lange in 1836. The Bavarian engraver Lange came to Greece during Otto’s reign, in 1834, and worked at the Athens Mint until 1840.
On the verso, a personification of Greece. The figure is depicted seated, in profile, with idealised features and archaic dress, look- ing at a putto in front, who lays at her feet a horn of plenty full of coins. This is an allegorical representation of reborn Greece at the height of the Revolution. The inscription ‘ΚΥΡΙΟΣ ΕΞΕΛΕΙΤΑΙ ΜΕ ΕΚ ΧΕΙΡΟΣ ΤΟΥ ΑΛΛΟΦΥΛΟΥ’ (Lord will deliver me out of the hand of this Philistine) is from the Book of Kings (1, 17:37).
The recto features an official portrait of Georgios Kountouriotis as president of the Legislature in Missolonghi, according to the medal inscription (recto) and date (1825, verso).