List of Olympic medalists in art competitions

Under the pseudonyms Georges Hohrod and Martin Eschbach, IOC founder Pierre de Coubertin won a gold medal in the literature category at the 1912 Summer Olympics.

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".^[1] 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.^[2] 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".^[3]

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.^[4] Although it was a successful strategy, the 1932 Summer Olympics eliminated several of these subcategories, which led to fewer entries in the broader categories.^[5] For the 1936 Summer Olympics, the German government proposed the addition of a film contest to the program, which was rejected.^[6]

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.^[7] Concerns were also raised about the professionalism of the event, since only amateurs were allowed to participate in the sporting tournaments,^[8] 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.^[9]

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.^[10] Diggelmann is tied with Denmark's Josef Petersen, who won second prize three times in literature, for the amount 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,^[11] 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.^[12] Two individuals, Walter W. Winans^[13] and Alfréd Hajós, won medals in both athletic and art competitions.^[14]

Architecture

Mixed architecture

Alfréd Hajós was one of two individuals to win medals in sport and art competitions.

Olympic medalists in mixed architecture

Games	Gold	Silver	Bronze
1912 Stockholm	MonodEugène-Edouard Monod & Alphonse Laverrière (SUI) Building-plan of a modern Stadium	zznone awarded	zznone awarded
1920 Antwerp	zznone awarded	Sinding-LarsenHolger Sinding-Larsen (NOR) Project pour une Ecole de Gymnastique	zznone awarded
1924 Paris	zznone awarded	HajosAlfréd Hajós & Dezső Lauber (HUN) Plan d'un Stade	MedecinJulien Médecin (MON) Stade pour Monte-Carlo

Mixed architecture, architectural designs

Jan Wils, 1928 gold medalist in architectural designs

Olympic medalists in mixed architecture, architectural designs

Games	Gold	Silver	Bronze
1928 Amsterdam	WilsJan Wils (NED) Olympic Stadium in Amsterdam	MindeadalEjnar Mindedal Rasmussen (DEN) Swimming pool at Ollerup	LambertJacques Lambert (FRA) Stadium at Versailles
1932 Los Angeles	SaackeGustave Saacké, Pierre Bailly, & Pierre Montenot (FRA) Design for a "Cirque pour Toros"	PopeJohn Russell Pope (USA) Design for the Payne Whitney Gymnasium, New Haven, Conn.	KnowiarzRichard Konwiarz (GER) Design for a "Schlesierkampfbahn" in the Sport Park of Breslau
1936 Berlin	KutscheraHermann Kutschera (AUT) Skiing Stadium	MarchWerner March[note 1] (GER) Reich Sport Field	StiegholzerHermann Stiegholzer & Herbert Kastinger (AUT) Sporting Center in Vienna
1948 London	HochAdolf Hoch (AUT) Skisprungschanze auf dem Kobenzl	RineschAlfred Rinesch (AUT) Watersports Centre in Carinthia	OlssonNils Olsson (SWE) Baths and Sporting Hall for Gothenburg

Town planning

Charles Downing Lay, 1936 silver medalist in designs for municipal planning

Olympic medalists in town planning

Games	Gold	Silver	Bronze
1928 Amsterdam	HenselAlfred Hensel (GER) Stadium at Nuremberg	LambertJacques Lambert (FRA) Stadium at Versailles	LaeugerMax Laeuger (GER) Municipal park at Hamburg
1932 Los Angeles	HughesJohn Hughes (GBR) Design for a Sports and Recreation Center with Stadium, for the City of Liverpool	KlemmensenJens Klemmensen (DEN) Design for a Stadium and Public Park	VerbekeAndré Verbeke (BEL) Design for a "Maraton Park"
1936 Berlin[15]	MarchWerner March & Walter March (GER) Reich Sport Field	LayCharles Downing Lay (USA) Marine park, Brooklyn	NussbaumTheo Nussbaum (GER) Municipal Planning and Sporting Centre in Cologne
1948 London	LindegrenYrjö Lindegren (FIN) The Centre of Athletics in Varkaus, Finland.	SchindlerWerner Schindler & Edy Knupfer (SUI) Swiss Federal Sports and Gymnastics Training Centre	NiemelainenIlmari Niemeläinen (FIN) The Athletic Centre in Kemi, Finland.

Literature

Mixed literature

Oliver St. John Gogarty, 1924 bronze medalist in literature

Kazimierz Wierzyński, 1928 gold medalist in lyric and speculative works

Olympic medalists in mixed literature

Games	Gold	Silver	Bronze
1912 Stockholm	HohrodGeorges Hohrod & Martin Eschbath (GER) Ode to sport	zznone awarded	zznone awarded
1920 Antwerp	NicolaiRaniero Nicolai (ITA) Canzoni Olimpioniche	CookTheodore Andrea Cook (GBR) Olympic Games of Antwerp	BladelMaurice Bladel (BEL) La Louange des Dieux
1924 Paris	Géo-Charles (FRA) Jeux Olympiques	StuartMargaret Stuart (GBR) Sword Songs	GonnetCharles Gonnet (FRA) Vers le Dieu d’Olympie
		PetersenJosef Petersen (DEN) Euryale	GogartyOliver St. John Gogarty (IRL) Ode pour les Jeux de Tailteann
1932 Los Angeles	BauerPaul Bauer (GER) Am Kangehenzonga	PetersenJosef Petersen (DEN) The Argonauts	zznone awarded

Dramatic works

Olympic medalists in dramatic works

Games	Gold	Silver	Bronze
1928 Amsterdam	none awarded	Lauro De Bosis (ITA) Icaro	none awarded

Epic works

Olympic medalists in epic works

Games	Gold	Silver	Bronze
1928 Amsterdam	MezoFerenc Mező (HUN) L’histoire des Jeux Olympiques	WeissErnst Weiss (GER) Boetius von Orlamünde	SchartenCarel Scharten & Margo Scharten-Antink (NED) De Nar uit de Maremmen
1936 Berlin	KarhumakiUrho Karhumäki (FIN) Avoveteen	EhmerWilhelm Ehmer (GER) For the Top of the World	ParandowskiJan Parandowski (POL) Dysk Olimijski
1948 London	StuparichGiani Stuparich (ITA) La Grotta	PetersenJosef Petersen (DEN) The Olympic Champion	FoldesÉva Földes (HUN) The Well of Youth

Lyric and speculative works

Olympic medalists in lyric and speculative works

Games	Gold	Silver	Bronze
1928 Amsterdam	WierzynskiKazimierz Wierzyński (POL) Laur Olimpijski	BindingRudolf G. Binding (GER) Reitvorschrift fur eine Geliebte	WeltzerJohannes Weltzer (DEN) Symphonia Heroïca
1936 Berlin[16]	Dhunen-SondingerFelix Dhünen-Sondinger (GER) The Runner	FattoriBruno Fattori (ITA) Profili Azzuri	StoiberHans Stoiber (AUT) The Discus
1948 London[17]	TynniAale Tynni (FIN) Laurel of Hellas	HeerdenErnst van Heerden (RSA) Six Poems	ProuteauGilbert Prouteau (FRA) Rythme du Stade

Music

Mixed music

Josef Suk, 1932 silver medalist in music

Olympic medalists in mixed music

Games	Gold	Silver	Bronze
1912 Stockholm	BarthelemyRiccardo Barthelemy (ITA) Triumphal March	zznone awarded	zznone awarded
1920 Antwerp	MonierGeorges Monier (BEL) Olympique	RivaOreste Riva (ITA) Epinicion	zznone awarded
1932 Los Angeles	zznone awarded	SukJosef Suk (TCH) Into a New Life	zznone awarded

Compositions for orchestra

Werner Egk, 1936 gold medalist in compositions for orchestra

Olympic medalists in compositions for orchestra

Games	Gold	Silver	Bronze
1928 Amsterdam	zznone awarded	zznone awarded	SimonsenRudolph Simonsen (DEN) Symphony No. 2 "Hellas"
1936 Berlin	EgkWerner Egk (GER) Olympic Festive Music	LiviabellaLino Liviabella (ITA) The Victor	KrickaJaroslav Křička (TCH) Mountain Suite
1948 London[18]	TurskiZbigniew Turski (POL) Olympic Symphony	TuukkanenKalervo Tuukkanen (FIN) Karhunpyynti	BreneErling Brene (DEN) Viguer

Solo and chorus compositions

Kurt Thomas, 1936 silver medalist in solo and chorus compositions

Olympic medalists in solo and chorus compositions

Games	Gold	Silver	Bronze
1936 Berlin	HofferPaul Höffer (GER) Olympic Vow	ThomasKurt Thomas (GER) Olympic Cantana, 1936	GenzmerHarald Genzmer (GER) The Runner

Instrumental and chamber

Olympic medalists in the instrumental and chamber event

Games	Gold	Silver	Bronze
1948 London	none awarded	Jean Weinzweig (CAN) Divertimenti for Solo Flute and Strings	Sergio Lauricella (ITA) Toccata per Pianoforte

Vocal

Olympic medalists in the vocal event

Games	Gold	Silver	Bronze
1948 London	none awarded	none awarded	Gabriele Bianchi (ITA) Inno Olimpionico

Painting

Mixed painting

Jack Butler Yeats, 1924 silver medalist in painting

Olympic medalists in mixed painting

Games	Gold	Silver	Bronze
1912 Stockholm	PellegriniCarlo Pellegrini (ITA) Winter Sports	zznone awarded	zznone awarded
1920 Antwerp	zznone awarded	BrossinHenriette Brossin de Mère-de Polanska (FRA) L'Elan	OstAlfred Ost (BEL) Joueur de Football
1924 Paris	JacobyJean Jacoby (LUX) Etude de Sport	YeatsJack Butler Yeats (IRL) Natation	HellJohan van Hell (NED) Patineurs

Drawings and water colors

Rugby by Jean Jacoby, the winning entry in the 1928 drawings category

Olympic medalists in drawing and water colors

Games	Gold	Silver	Bronze
1928 Amsterdam[19]	JacobyJean Jacoby (LUX) Rugby	VirotAlex Virot (FRA) Gestes de Football	SkoczylasWładysław Skoczylas (POL) Posters
1932 Los Angeles	BlairLee Blair (USA) Rodeo	CrosbyPercy Crosby (USA) Jackknife	WestermannGerhard Westermann (NED) Horseman
1936 Berlin	zznone awarded	DazziRomano Dazzi (ITA) Four Sketches for Frescoes	SuzukiSujaku Suzuki (JPN) Classical Horse Racing in Japan

Engravings and etchings

Olympic medalists in engravings and etchings

Games	Gold	Silver	Bronze
1948 London	Albert Decaris (FRA) Swimming Pool	John Copley (GBR) Polo Players	Walter Battiss (RSA) Seaside Sport

Graphic works

William Nicholson, 1928 gold medalist in graphic works

Olympic medalists in graphic works

Games	Gold	Silver	Bronze
1928 Amsterdam	NicholsonWilliam Nicholson (GBR) Un Almanach de douze Sports	MoosCarl Moos (SUI) Posters	FeldbauerMax Feldbauer (GER) Mailcoach
1932 Los Angeles[20]	GolinkinJoseph Golinkin (USA) Leg Scissors	KonarskaJanina Konarska (POL) Stadium	KarschJoachim Karsch (GER) Stabwechsel
1936 Berlin[21]	DiggelmannAlex Diggelmann (SUI) Arosa I Placard	HierlAlfred Hierl (GER) International Automobile Race on the Avis	Ostoja-ChrostowskiStanisław Ostoja-Chrostowski (POL) Yachting Club Certificate
1948 London[22]	zznone awarded	DiggelmanAlex Diggelmann (SUI) World Championship for Cycling Poster	DiggelmanAlex Diggelmann (SUI) World Championship for Ice Hockey Poster

Paintings

David Wallin, 1932 gold medalist in painting

Olympic medalists in paintings

Games	Gold	Silver	Bronze
1928 Amsterdam	IsraelsIsaac Israëls (NED) Cavalier Rouge	KnightLaura Knight (GBR) Boxeurs	KlemmWalther Klemm (GER) Patinage
1932 Los Angeles	WallinDavid Wallin (SWE) At the Seaside of Arild	MillerRuth Miller (USA) Struggle	zznone awarded
1936 Berlin	zznone awarded	EisenmengerRudolf Eisenmenger (AUT) Runner at the Finishing Line	FujitaRyuji Fujita (JPN) Ice Hockey
1948 London	ThomsonAlfred Thomson (GBR) London Amateur Championships	StradoneGiovanni Stradone (ITA) Le Pistard	HamiltonLetitia Marion Hamilton (IRL) Meath Hunt Point-to-Point Races

Sculpturing

Mixed sculpturing

Walter W. Winans was one of two individuals to win medals in sport and art competitions.

Frederick William MacMonnies, 1932 silver medalist in medals and reliefs

Mahonri Young, 1932 gold medalist in statues

Olympic medalists in mixed sculpturing

Games	Gold	Silver	Bronze
1912 Stockholm	WinansWalter W. Winans (USA) An American trotter	DuboisGeorges Dubois (FRA) Model of the entrance to a modern Stadium	zznone awarded
1920 Antwerp	CollinAlbéric Collin (BEL) La Force	GoossensSimon Goossens (BEL) Les Patineurs	De CuyperAlphons De Cuyper (BEL) Lanceur de Poids et Coureur
1924 Paris	DimitriadisKostas Dimitriadis (GRE) Discobole Finlandais	HeldensteinFrantz Heldenstein (LUX) Vers l'olympiade	GauguinJean René Gauguin (DEN) Le Boxeur
			MascauxClaude-Léon Mascaux (FRA) Cadre de Medailles

Medals

Olympic medalists in medals

Games	Gold	Silver	Bronze
1936 Berlin	none awarded	Luciano Mercante (ITA) Medals	Josue Dupon (BEL) Equestrian Medals

Medals and plaques

Olympic medalists in medals and plaques

Games	Gold	Silver	Bronze
1948 London	none awarded	Oskar Thiede (AUT) Eight Sports Plaques	Edwin Grienauer (AUT) Prize Rowing Trophy

Reliefs and medallions

Olympic medalists in reliefs and medallions

Games	Gold	Silver	Bronze
1928 Amsterdam	GrienauerEdwin Grienauer (AUT) Médailles	HoefChris van der Hoef (NED) Médaille pour les Jeux Olympiques	ScharffEdwin Scharff (GER) Plaquette
1932 Los Angeles[23]	KlukowskiJózef Klukowski (POL) Sport Sculpture II	MacMonniesFrederick William MacMonnies (USA) Lindbergh Medal	MacKenzieR. Tait McKenzie (CAN) Shield of the Athletes

Reliefs

Olympic medalists in reliefs

Games	Gold	Silver	Bronze
1936 Berlin	SutorEmil Sutor (GER) Hurdlers	KlukowskiJózef Klukowski (POL) Ball	zznone awarded
1948 London	zznone awarded	zznone awarded	FletcherRosamund Fletcher (GBR) The End of the Covert

Statues

Olympic medalists in statues

Games	Gold	Silver	Bronze
1928 Amsterdam	LandowskiPaul Landowski (FRA) Boxer	MartinMilo Martin (SUI) Athlète au repos	SintenisRenée Sintenis (GER) Footballeur
1932 Los Angeles	YoungMahonri Young (USA) The Knockdown	MannoMiltiades Manno (HUN) Wrestling	ObrovskyJakub Obrovský (TCH) Odysseus
1936 Berlin	VignoliFarpi Vignoli (ITA) Sulky Driver	BrekerArno Breker (GER) Decathlon Athlete	BlombergStig Blomberg (SWE) Wrestling Youths
1948 London	NordahlGustaf Nordahl (SWE) Homage to Ling	KarChintamoni Kar (GBR) The Stag	YencesseHubert Yencesse (FRA) Nageuse

Statistics

Multiple medalists

Multiple medalists in Olympic art competitions

Athlete	Nation	Olympics	Gold	Silver	Bronze	Total
Diggelmann, AlexAlex Diggelmann	Switzerland (SUI)	1936–1948	1	1	1	3
Petersen, JosefJosef Petersen	Denmark (DEN)	1924, 1932, 1948	0	3	0	3
Jacoby, JeanJean Jacoby	Luxembourg (LUX)	1924–1936	2	0	0	2
Klukowski, JózefJózef Klukowski	Poland (POL)	1932–1936	1	1	0	2
March, WernerWerner March	Germany (GER)	1928–1936	1	1	0	2
Grienauer, EdwinEdwin Grienauer	Austria (AUT)	1928, 1948	1	0	1	2
Lambert, JacquesJacques Lambert	France (FRA)	1928	0	1	1	2

Medals per year

Medals won by country by year

Nation	1912	1920	1924	1928	1932	1936	1948	Total
Austria (AUT)	0 !–	0 !–	0 !–	1	0 !–	4	4	9
Belgium (BEL)	0 !–	6	0 !–	0 !–	1	1	0 !–	8
Canada (CAN)	0 !–	0 !–	0 !–	0 !–	1	0 !–	1	2
Denmark (DEN)	0 !–	0 !–	2	3	2	0 !–	2	9
Finland (FIN)	0 !–	0 !–	0 !–	0 !–	0 !–	1	4	5
France (FRA)	1	1	3	2	3	0 !–	3	13
Great Britain (GBR)	0 !–	1	1	2	1	0 !–	4	9
Germany (GER)	1	0 !–	0 !–	8	3	6 !12	0 !–	24
Greece (GRE)	0 !–	0 !–	1	0 !–	0 !–	0 !–	0 !–	1
Hungary (HUN)	0 !–	0 !–	1	1	1	0 !–	1	4
Ireland (IRL)	0 !–	0 !–	2	0 !–	0 !–	0 !–	1	3
Italy (ITA)	2	2	0 !–	1	0 !–	5	4	14
Japan (JPN)	0 !–	0 !–	0 !–	0 !–	0 !–	2	0 !–	2
Luxembourg (LUX)	0 !–	0 !–	2	1	0 !–	0 !–	0 !–	3
Monaco (MON)	0 !–	0 !–	1	0 !–	0 !–	0 !–	0 !–	1
Netherlands (NED)	0 !–	0 !–	1	4	1	0 !–	0 !–	6
Norway (NOR)	0 !–	1	0 !–	0 !–	0 !–	0 !–	0 !–	1
Poland (POL)	0 !–	0 !–	0 !–	2	2	3	1	8
South Africa (RSA)	0 !–	0 !–	0 !–	0 !–	0 !–	0 !–	2	2
Switzerland (SUI)	1	0 !–	0 !–	2	0 !–	1	3	7
Sweden (SWE)	0 !–	0 !–	0 !–	0 !–	1	1	2	4
Czechoslovakia (TCH)	0 !–	0 !–	0 !–	0 !–	2	1	0 !–	3
United States (USA)	1	0 !–	0 !–	0 !–	7	1	0 !–	9

References

General

• "The Official Report of the Olympic Games of Stockholm 1912" (PDF). Stockholm: Swedish Olympic Committee. 1913: 808–809. Retrieved 2012-03-08. 
• "Olympic Games: Antwerp 1920: Official Report" (PDF) (in French). Brussels: Belgian Olympic Committee. 1957: 80. Retrieved 2012-03-08. 
• "Les Jeux de la VIIIE Olympiade" (PDF) (in French). Paris: Comite Olympique Francais. 1924: 605–612. Retrieved 28 May 2013. 
• "Official Report of the Olympic Games of 1928 Celebrated at Amsterdam" (PDF). Amsterdam: Netherlands Olympic Committee. 1928: 892–901. Retrieved 2012-03-08. 
• "The Games of the Xth Olympiad Los Angeles 1932" (PDF). Los Angeles: Xth Olympiade Committee of the Games of Los Angeles. 1933: 756–765. Retrieved 2012-03-08. 
• "The XIth Olympic Games Berlin, 1936: Official Report Volume II" (PDF). Berlin: Organisationskomitee Fur Die XI. Olympiade Berlin 1936 E.V. 1937: 1119–1123. Retrieved 2012-03-08. 
• "The Official Report of the Organising Committee for the XIV Olympiad London 1948" (PDF). London: The Organising Committee for the XIV Olympiad. 1951: 535–537. Retrieved 2012-03-07. 

Specific

Notes