It was painted around the same time as Lawrence was depicting Canning's colleague the Duke of Wellington.

Commissioned by Robert Peel, it was one of eight portraits he exhibited at the Royal Academy that year.

It received qualified praise from fellow painter John Constable.

[1] The following year Canning became Prime Minister in succession to Lord Liverpool, but suffering from poor health died at Chiswick House after just 119 days in office.

It is now part of the collection of the National Portrait Gallery in London.