An early 19th century watercolour of the Parthenon in Athens. Framed in a traditional maple frame.
 
On the reverse the label reads:-
Captain Owen Stanley RN / Parthenon - Athens, dated 1829
 
Dimensions
Height: 27cm / 10½"
Width: 36.5cm / 14½"

Captain Owen Stanley, FRS RN (1811-1850) was a British Royal Navy officer and oceanographic surveyor. The Greek War of Independence between 1821-1829 had ended and Stanley was posted to Greece in a peace keeping role. As a painter it was here where he was inspired by the classical Greek architecture. In 1839 while on the high seas Stanley was promoted to commander and in 1842 he was elected as a Fellow of the Royal Society. The Parthenon in Athens is a classical temple which was dedicated to the goddess Athena during the fifth century BC. It is a fine example of classical Greek architecture and is an enduring symbol of Ancient Greece, democracy and Western civilisation.