Art competitions at the 1936 Summer Olympics
Encyclopedia
Art competitions were held as part of the 1936 Summer Olympics
in Berlin
, Germany
. Medals were awarded in five categories (architecture
, literature
, music
, painting
, and sculpture
), for works inspired by sport-related themes.
The art exhibition was held in a hall of the Berlin Exhibition
from July 15 to August 16, and displayed 667 works of art from 22 different countries. Additionally, the literature competition attracted 40 entries from 12 countries, and the music competition had 33 entries from 9 countries.
The art competitions at the 1936 Games were similar to the 1928 and 1932 Games, with medals being awarded in multiple subcategories for each of the five artistic categories. The judges declined to award any medals for three subcategories, and no gold medals for another three subcategories.
Art competitions were part of the Olympic program from 1912 to 1948.
At a meeting of the International Olympic Committee
in 1949, it was decided to hold art exhibitions instead, as it was judged illogical to permit professionals to compete in the art competitions but only amateurs were permitted to compete in sporting events. Since 1952, a non-competitive art and cultural festival has been associated with each Games.
1936 Summer Olympics
The 1936 Summer Olympics, officially known as the Games of the XI Olympiad, was an international multi-sport event which was held in 1936 in Berlin, Germany. Berlin won the bid to host the Games over Barcelona, Spain on April 26, 1931, at the 29th IOC Session in Barcelona...
in Berlin
Berlin
Berlin is the capital city of Germany and is one of the 16 states of Germany. With a population of 3.45 million people, Berlin is Germany's largest city. It is the second most populous city proper and the seventh most populous urban area in the European Union...
, Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
. Medals were awarded in five categories (architecture
Architecture
Architecture is both the process and product of planning, designing and construction. Architectural works, in the material form of buildings, are often perceived as cultural and political symbols and as works of art...
, literature
Literature
Literature is the art of written works, and is not bound to published sources...
, music
Music
Music is an art form whose medium is sound and silence. Its common elements are pitch , rhythm , dynamics, and the sonic qualities of timbre and texture...
, painting
Painting
Painting is the practice of applying paint, pigment, color or other medium to a surface . The application of the medium is commonly applied to the base with a brush but other objects can be used. In art, the term painting describes both the act and the result of the action. However, painting is...
, and sculpture
Sculpture
Sculpture is three-dimensional artwork created by shaping or combining hard materials—typically stone such as marble—or metal, glass, or wood. Softer materials can also be used, such as clay, textiles, plastics, polymers and softer metals...
), for works inspired by sport-related themes.
The art exhibition was held in a hall of the Berlin Exhibition
Messe Berlin
Messe Berlin fairgrounds are situated in Berlin-Westend, precinct Charlottenburg-Wilmersdorf, at Masurenallee opposite of the Haus des Rundfunks....
from July 15 to August 16, and displayed 667 works of art from 22 different countries. Additionally, the literature competition attracted 40 entries from 12 countries, and the music competition had 33 entries from 9 countries.
The art competitions at the 1936 Games were similar to the 1928 and 1932 Games, with medals being awarded in multiple subcategories for each of the five artistic categories. The judges declined to award any medals for three subcategories, and no gold medals for another three subcategories.
At a meeting of the International Olympic Committee
International Olympic Committee
The International Olympic Committee is an international corporation based in Lausanne, Switzerland, created by Pierre de Coubertin on 23 June 1894 with Demetrios Vikelas as its first president...
in 1949, it was decided to hold art exhibitions instead, as it was judged illogical to permit professionals to compete in the art competitions but only amateurs were permitted to compete in sporting events. Since 1952, a non-competitive art and cultural festival has been associated with each Games.
Architecture
| Architectural design | Skiing Stadium |
Reich Sport Field |
Sporting Centre in Vienna |
| Municipal planning | Reich Sport Field |
Marine Park, Brooklyn |
Municipal Planning and Sporting Centre in Cologne |
Literature
| Lyric works | "The Runner" |
"Profili Azzurri" |
"The Discus" |
| Dramatic works | none awarded | none awarded | none awarded |
| Epic works | "Avoveteen" |
"For the Top of the World" |
"Dysk Olimijski" |
Music
| Solo and chorus | "Olympic Vow" |
"Olympic Cantata, 1936" |
"The Runner" |
| Instrumental | none awarded | none awarded | none awarded |
| Orchestra | "Olympic Festive Music" |
"The Victor" |
"Mountain Suite" |
Painting
| Paintings | none awarded | "Runners at the Finishing Line" |
"Ice Hockey" |
| Drawings and water colours | none awarded | "Four Sketches for Frescoes" |
"Classical Horse Racing in Japan" |
| Graphic art | none awarded | none awarded | none awarded |
| Commercial graphic art | "Arosa I Placard" |
"“International Automobile Race on the Avus" |
"Yachting Club Certificate" |
Sculpture
| Statues | "Sulky Driver" |
"Decathlon Athlete" |
"Wrestling Youths" |
| Reliefs | "Hurdlers" |
"Ball" |
none awarded |
| Medals | none awarded | "Medals" |
"Equestrian Medals" |
Medal table
At the time, medals were awarded to these artists, but art competitions are no longer regarded as official Olympic events by the International Olympic Committee. These events do not appear in the IOC medal database, and these totals are not included in the IOC's medal table for the 1936 Games.| 1 |  Germany |
5 | 5 | 2 | 12 |
| 2 |  Italy |
1 | 4 | 0 | 5 |
| 3 |  Austria |
1 | 1 | 2 | 4 |
| 4 |  Finland |
1 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
 Switzerland |
1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | |
| 6 |  Poland |
0 | 1 | 2 | 3 |
| 7 |  United States |
0 | 1 | 0 | 1 |
| 8 |  Japan |
0 | 0 | 2 | 2 |
| 9 |  Belgium |
0 | 0 | 1 | 1 |
 Czechoslovakia |
0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | |
 Sweden |
0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | |
| Total | 9 | 12 | 11 | 32 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|