George Canning was a notable statesman serving in various offices under William Pitt's administration including two terms as Secretary for Foreign Affairs from 1807-9 and 1822-7. He was appointed Prime Minister in 1827, a position that he held for four months in the last year of his life.

Canning sat for Lawrence on four separate occasions. The present work recalls the painting completed in 1822 for Thomas, Lord Binning, later the 9th Earl of Haddington which was engraved in 1823 by Robert Cooper.