Theodoros Kolokotronis

In 1891, sculptor Lazaros Sochos from Tinos won the competition of the Municipality of Nafplio for the commission to erect an equestrian statue of Theodoros Kolokotronis (1770-1843). In the following years he worked on the plaster model in Mercier's workshop in France and then cast it in two brass copies, using material from the cannons of Nafplio. The work was presented to the public in 1900 and won major prizes in Paris and Rome. That same year, on the initiative of Sochos and in consultation with the Municipality of Athens, the second copy was transferred to the capital of Greece. After various proposals, it was decided that it would be placed at the junction of Stadiou and Kolokotroni Str. It was unveiled in 1904 and, exactly half a century later in 1954, it was moved to its present location in front of the Old Parliament building. To create his work, the artist carried out extensive research that included observing the countenance of close relatives and the cast of the “Old Man of Morea”, as well as studying the uniform and the memoirs of the hero of the Revolution. The statue depicts the figure of Theodoros Kolokotronis riding a male horse on the battlefield. The hero is depicted dressed in war attire, accompanied by his characteristic helmet, the inclusion of which was imposed on the sculptor against his will, as revealed by a note discovered in 2002 during the conservation work on the statue. Moreover, he holds the reins with his right hand, and he is looking at his warriors while pointing at the enemy with his left hand. It is a composition that is distinguished for its realism, its monumental nature and the dynamism it exudes.