"The painting has been hanging in the residence since that time,'' Mark Marrano, the consul general at the U.S. Embassy in Athens said, "but the motive behind why George N. Drakos sent the painting remains a mystery.The small plaque that accompanied the painting refers to George N. Drakos as a “faithful friend”. Marrano says Truman subsequently thanked Drakos in a letter sent to Athens in 1954.
Marrano is hoping members of Fayetteville's Greek community may have some clues.
Efforts to restore statue
The mystery began with efforts to restore the statue of Harry S. Truman that stands in the central part of Athens.
Sculpted by Felix de Weldon, the same man who did the Iwo Jima Memorial in Washington, the statue of America's 33rd president was dedicated in 1963 and is one of only eight statues overseas of former U.S. presidents.
Truman is held in high esteem by many Greeks for having led the effort to help their homeland after World War II during the Greek Civil War. But the 4-meter bronze statue also has been the frequent target of vandals and protestors over the years. It has been toppled several times, was bombed in 1986 and, most recently, has been doused in pink and red paint.
The U.S. embassy has worked with the mayor of Athens, Giorgos Kaminis, to have the paint removed and the statue refurbished, Marrano said.
Find out more at: http://www.fayobserver.com/
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