There were 146 medalists in the art competitions that were part of the Olympic Games from 1912 until 1948. These art competitions were considered an integral part of the movement by International Olympic Committee (IOC) founder Pierre de Coubertin and necessary to recapture the complete essence of the Ancient Olympic Games. Their absence before the 1912 Summer Olympics, according to journalism professor Richard Stanton, stems from Coubertin "not wanting to fragment the focus of his new and fragile movement". Art competitions were originally planned for inclusion in the 1908 Summer Olympics but were delayed after that edition's change in venue from Rome to London following the 1906 eruption of Mount Vesuvius.Stanton, p. 18. By the 1924 Summer Olympics they had grown to be considered internationally relevant and potentially "a milestone in advancing public awareness of art as a whole".Stanton, p. 69.

During their first three appearances, the art competitions were grouped into five broad categories: architecture, literature, music, painting, and sculpture. The Dutch Organizing Committee for the 1928 Summer Olympics split these into subcategories in the hopes of increasing participation.Stanton, p. 95. Although it was a successful strategy, the 1932 Summer Olympics eliminated several of these subcategories, which led to fewer entries in the broader categories.Stanton, p. 146. For the 1936 Summer Olympics, the German government proposed the addition of a film contest to the program, which was rejected.Stanton, p. 158.

Following a final appearance at the 1948 Summer Olympics, art competitions were removed from the Olympic program. Planners of the 1952 Summer Olympics opposed their inclusion on logistical grounds, claiming that the lack of an international association for the event meant that the entire onus of facilitation was placed on the local organizing committee.Stanton, p. 210. Concerns were also raised about the professionalism of the event, since only amateurs were allowed to participate in the sporting tournaments,Stanton, p. 211. and the growing commercialization of the competitions, as artists had been permitted to sell their submissions during the course of the Games since 1928. In 1952 an art festival and exhibition was held concurrent with the Games, a tradition that has been maintained in all subsequent Summer Olympics.Stanton, p. 213.

In 1952, art competition medals were removed from the official national medal counts. The IOC does not track medalists in Olympic art competitions in its database and thus the prize winners are only officially recorded in the original Olympic reports. Judges were not required to distribute first, second, and third place awards for every category, and thus certain events lack medalists in these placements. Since participants were allowed multiple submissions, it was also possible for artists to win more than one in a single event, as Alex Diggelmann of Switzerland did in the graphic arts category of the 1948 edition. Diggelmann is tied with Denmark's Josef Petersen, who won second prize three times in literature, for the number of medals captured in the art competitions. Luxembourg's Jean Jacoby is the only individual to win two gold medals, doing so in painting in 1924 and 1928. Of the 146 medalists, 11 were women and only Finnish author Aale Tynni was awarded gold. Germany was the most successful nation, with eight gold, seven silver, and nine bronze medals, although one was won by Coubertin himself, a Frenchman. He submitted his poem Ode to Sport under the pseudonyms Georges Hohrod and Martin Eschbach, as if it were a joint-entry, and won first prize in the 1912 literature category. The original report credits this medal to Germany. Two individuals, Walter W. Winans and Alfréd Hajós, won medals in both athletic and art competitions.

Architecture

Mixed architecture

+Olympic medalists in mixed architectureGamesGold SilverBronze1912 StockholmBuilding-plan of a modern Stadiumnone awardednone awarded1920 Antwerpnone awardedProject pour une Ecole de Gymnastiquenone awarded1924 Parisnone awardedPlan d'un StadeStade pour Monte-Carlo

Mixed architecture, architectural designs

+Olympic medalists in mixed architecture, architectural designsGamesGold SilverBronze1928 AmsterdamOlympic Stadium in AmsterdamSwimming pool at OllerupStadium at Versailles1932 Los AngelesDesign for a "Cirque pour Toros"Design for the Payne Whitney Gymnasium, New Haven, Conn.Design for a "Schlesierkampfbahn" in the Sport Park of Breslau1936 BerlinSkiing StadiumReich Sport FieldSporting Center in Vienna1948 LondonSkisprungschanze auf dem KobenzlWatersports Centre in CarinthiaBaths and Sporting Hall for Gothenburg

Town planning

+Olympic medalists in town planningGamesGold SilverBronze1928 AmsterdamStadium at NurembergStadium at VersaillesMunicipal park at Hamburg1932 Los AngelesDesign for a Sports and Recreation Center with Stadium, for the City of LiverpoolDesign for a Stadium and Public ParkDesign for a "Maraton Park"1936 BerlinIn 1936, this event was listed as "Designs for Municipal Planning". Reich Sport FieldMarine Park, BrooklynMunicipal Planning and Sporting Centre in Cologne1948 LondonThe Centre of Athletics in Varkaus, Finland.Swiss Federal Sports and Gymnastics Training CentreThe Athletic Centre in Kemi, Finland.

Literature

Mixed literature

+Olympic medalists in mixed literatureGamesGold SilverBronze1912 StockholmOde to sportnone awardednone awarded1920 AntwerpCanzoni OlimpionicheOlympic Games of AntwerpLa Louange des Dieux 1924 ParisJeux OlympiquesSword SongsVers le Dieu d’Olympie EuryaleOde pour les Jeux de Tailteann1932 Los AngelesAm KangehenzongaThe Argonautsnone awarded

Dramatic works +Olympic medalists in dramatic worksGamesGold SilverBronze1928 Amsterdamnone awardedIcaronone awarded

Epic works +Olympic medalists in epic worksGamesGold SilverBronze1928 AmsterdamL’histoire des Jeux OlympiquesBoetius von OrlamündeDe Nar uit de Maremmen1936 BerlinAvoveteenFor the Top of the WorldDysk Olimijski1948 LondonLa GrottaThe Olympic ChampionThe Well of Youth

Lyric and speculative works +Olympic medalists in lyric and speculative worksGamesGold SilverBronze1928 AmsterdamLaur OlimpijskiReitvorschrift fur eine GeliebteSymphonia Heroïca1936 BerlinIn 1936, this event was listed as "Lyric Works". The RunnerProfili AzzuriThe Discus1948 LondonIn 1948, this event was listed as "Lyrics". Laurel of HellasSix PoemsRythme du Stade

Music

Mixed music

+Olympic medalists in mixed musicGamesGold SilverBronze1912 StockholmTriumphal Marchnone awardednone awarded1920 AntwerpOlympiqueEpinicionnone awarded1932 Los Angelesnone awardedInto a New Lifenone awarded

Compositions for orchestra +Olympic medalists in compositions for orchestraGamesGold SilverBronze1928 Amsterdamnone awardednone awardedSymphony No. 2 "Hellas"1936 BerlinOlympic Festive MusicThe VictorMountain Suite1948 LondonIn 1948, this event was listed as "Choral and Orchestra". Olympic SymphonyKarhunpyyntiVigueur

Solo and chorus compositions

+Olympic medalists in solo and chorus compositionsGamesGold SilverBronze1936 BerlinOlympic VowOlympic Cantata, 1936The Runner

Instrumental and chamber +Olympic medalists in the instrumental and chamber eventGamesGold SilverBronze1948 Londonnone awardedDivertimenti for Solo Flute and StringsToccata per Pianoforte

Vocal +Olympic medalists in the vocal eventGamesGold SilverBronze1948 Londonnone awardednone awardedInno Olimpionico

Painting

Mixed painting

+Olympic medalists in mixed paintingGamesGold SilverBronze1912 StockholmWinter Sportsnone awardednone awarded1920 Antwerpnone awardedL'ElanJoueur de Football1924 ParisEtude de SportNatationPatineurs

Drawings and water colors

+Olympic medalists in drawing and water colorsGamesGold SilverBronze1928 AmsterdamIn 1928, this event was listed as "Drawings". RugbyGestes de FootballPosters1932 Los AngelesRodeoJackknifeHorseman1936 Berlinnone awardedFour Sketches for FrescoesClassical Horse Racing in Japan

Engravings and etchings +Olympic medalists in engravings and etchingsGamesGold SilverBronze1948 LondonSwimming PoolPolo PlayersSeaside Sport

Graphic works

+Olympic medalists in graphic worksGamesGold SilverBronze1928 AmsterdamUn Almanach de douze SportsPostersMailcoach1932 Los AngelesIn 1932, this event was listed as "Prints".Leg ScissorsStadiumStabwechsel1936 BerlinIn 1936, this event was listed as "Commercial Graphic Art". Arosa I PlacardInternational Automobile Race on the AvisYachting Club Certificate1948 LondonIn 1948, this event was listed as "Applied Art and Crafts". none awardedWorld Championship for Cycling PosterWorld Championship for Ice Hockey Poster

Paintings

+Olympic medalists in paintingsGamesGold SilverBronze1928 AmsterdamCavalier RougeBoxeursPatinage1932 Los AngelesAt the Seaside of ArildStrugglenone awarded1936 Berlinnone awardedRunner at the Finishing LineIce Hockey1948 LondonLondon Amateur ChampionshipsLe PistardMeath Hunt Point-to-Point Races

Sculpturing

Mixed sculpturing

+Olympic medalists in mixed sculpturingGamesGold SilverBronze1912 StockholmAn American trotterModel of the entrance to a modern Stadiumnone awarded1920 AntwerpLa ForceLes PatineursLanceur de Poids et Coureur1924 ParisDiscobole FinlandaisVers l'olympiadeLe BoxeurCadre de Medailles

Medals +Olympic medalists in medalsGamesGold SilverBronze1936 Berlinnone awardedMedalsEquestrian Medals

Medals and plaques +Olympic medalists in medals and plaquesGamesGold SilverBronze1948 Londonnone awardedEight Sports PlaquesPrize Rowing Trophy

Reliefs and medallions +Olympic medalists in reliefs and medallionsGamesGold SilverBronze1928 AmsterdamMédaillesMédaille pour les Jeux OlympiquesPlaquette1932 Los AngelesIn 1932, this event was listed as "Medals and Reliefs". Sport Sculpture IILindbergh MedalShield of the Athletes

Reliefs +Olympic medalists in reliefsGamesGold SilverBronze1936 BerlinHurdlersBallnone awarded1948 Londonnone awardednone awardedThe End of the Covert

Statues +Olympic medalists in statuesGamesGold SilverBronze1928 AmsterdamBoxerAthlète au reposFootballeur1932 Los AngelesThe KnockdownWrestlingOdysseus1936 BerlinSulky DriverDecathlon AthleteWrestling Youths1948 LondonHomage to LingThe StagNageuse

Statistics

Multiple medalists +Multiple medalists in Olympic art competitionsAthleteNationOlympics Gold Silver BronzeTotal1936–19481 1 1 31924, 1932, 19480 3 0 31924–19362 0 0 21932–19361 1 0 21928–19361 1 0 21928, 19481 0 1 219280 1 1 2

Medals per year +Medals won by country by yearNation1912192019241928193219361948Total 1 4 4 9 6 1 1 8 1 1 2 2 3 2 29 1 4 51 1 3 4 1 3 13 1 1 2 1 4 91 8 3 24 1 1 1 1 1 1 4 2 1 32 2 1 5 4 14 2 2 2 1 3 1 1 1 4 1 6 1 1 2 2 3 1 8 2 21 2 1 3 7 1 1 2 4 2 1 31 7 1 9 Notes

References

General

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