World Of Art By Sue

Juan died at age 29 during the plague epidemic that hit Seville, leaving behind only about a dozen known paintings. In this still life, he has arranged a variety of flowers (lemon blossom, red carnations, blue delphiniums, white roses, orange day lilies and a single striped tulip) in a wicker basket that is also filled with lemons. The overall tone of the Spanish still life is darker and heavier, and the lighting is more dramatic, than what we have seen in the Dutch still lifes this month. In 17th century Spain in general, lemons were seen as luxury items; in Seville at this time, lemons also took on a religious association with Christ’s Passion by equating its bitter taste with Christ’s suffering. In this painting, Juan de Zurbarán placed a goldfinch on the lip of a delicate porcelain water cup with a single lily floating on the surface. The lily (often, but not always, a white lily) is symbolic of the Virgin Mary. The goldfinch, according to legend, plucked a thorn from the crown of thorns on Christ’s brow on the road to his crucifixion; the blood from the thorn splashed red onto the little bird’s feathers.

March theme: When Life Gives You Lemons..
JUAN DE ZURBARÁN (1620 – 1649), “Still Life with Lemons in a Wicker Basket”, c. 1643-9. National Gallery, London UK.
Juan de Zurbarán was the son of the more famous Spanish painter Francisco de Zurbarán.
#arthistory #art #Lemons #StillLife

The vanitas theme in Heda’s still life is more overt than yesterday’s selection by de Heem. The silver tazza (cup) that is overturned onto its side; the turned back white tablecloth; the broken wine glass; the partly eaten pie; the scattered empty hazelnut shells; the half-peeled lemon – all of these beautifully rendered items point directly to the “life is fleeting” concept. Heda was the master of the half-eaten meal, painted in tonal hues – a new trend in Dutch art at this time. The predominant neutral colors make the strong yellow of the lemon really pop. Heda is not only able to show off his expertise at painting a variety of textures but he goes one step further and includes the reflection, in the upright glass, of the window that is the light source for the scene. And, to cap it all off, he signed and dated the painting on the metal blade of the knife.

March theme: When Life Gives You Lemons...
WILLEM CLAESZ. HEDA (1594 - 1680) “Still Life with Fruit Pie and Various Objects”, 1634. Thyssen-Bornemisza Museum, Madrid, Spain.
#arthistory #art #lemons #StillLife

De Heem sees van Hulsdonck’s bowl of fruit still life (yesterday’s selection) and takes it one step further by adding the textures of silver, glass and light reflection to the mix. The sensuous and sumptuous breakfast feast of shellfish, exotic fruit and champagne harbors a darker meaning, that of “vanitas” – the knowledge that all life is fleeting. In this composition, de Heem conveys this idea with a smoldering fuse, an extinguished pipe and an overturned glass goblet. De Heem painted his scenes for the newly wealthy merchant class in Holland at a time when the expansion of trade brought imported luxury items such as lemons. By including such exotic items into his still life compositions, de Heem magnified the status of his patrons (at the same time as he was impressing his audience with his extensive artistic skills).

March theme: When Life Gives You Lemons...
JAN DAVIDSZ. DE HEEM (1606 - 1684), “Still Life, Breakfast with Wine Glass and Goudse Pipe”, 1642. Residenzgalerie, Salzburg, Austria.
#arthistory #art #lemons #StillLife

Jacob van Hulsdonck was a Flemish artist who specialized in painting still lifes, especially bowls of fruits like this one at the Getty Museum. He ran a prosperous studio in Antwerp. The still life is a way for the artist to show off his skills with texture and color. The fruits are luscious when peeled, firm when whole; the pomegranate seeds glisten, the orange leaves drip with water droplets. And the delicate Ming Dynasty Chinese porcelain bowl is exquisite. By painting the scene from a high vantage point, van Hulsdonck is able to maximize what we can see on the table top.

March theme: When Life Gives You Lemons...
JACOB VAN HULSDONCK (1582 – 1647), “Still Life with Lemons, Oranges and a Pomegranate”, 1620-30. J. Paul Getty Museum, Los Angeles, California US.
#arthistory #art #lemons #StillLife

Jahangir was the fourth emperor of the Mughal Empire, reigning from 1605 – 1627. He had a profound love of the arts and, during his time on the throne, painting and architecture flourished. Abu al-Hasan, from Delhi, India, was one of the Emperor’s favorite miniature painters. His work is rich in detail and presents the opulence of the court, and of Jahangir himself, with precision and in a manner that pleased his patron. “Jahangir Entertains Shah Abbas” shows a splendid reception with the Mughal emperor welcoming the Safavid Shah Abbas I. Shah Abbas listens to the emperor with deference, clasping his hands. Above Jahangir fly two angels holding his esteemed genealogy. In front of the royals is a spread of exotic and impressive items: a table from Italy, a cup from China, a German automaton in the shape of Diana on a stag, and fruit including a luscious lemon. Lemons were used as aromatics in Mughal royal meat and vegetable dishes (although Jahangir’s favorite exotic fruit, it is said, was a mango). This stately meeting is a fantasy scene – it never happened – but the artist’s intricate painting glorifies his emperor’s position of wealth and power.

March theme: When Life Gives You Lemons...
ABU AL-HASAN (c.1589 – c. 1630), “Jahangir Entertains Shah Abbas”, c. 1620. Freer Gallery of Art, Washington DC.
Jahangir was the fourth emperor of the Mughal Empire, reigning from 1605 – 1627.
#arthistory #art #lemon

In 1539, Cosimo de’Medici created an extensive garden at his Villa di Castello located near the hills northwest of Florence. To supply the garden with water, he constructed an aqueduct that tapped into an ancient Roman cistern or “castella” (hence the villa’s name). Cosimo and subsequent Medici generations planted and tended over 500 citrus plants of various species (lemons, citrons, oranges, mandarins and more) in terra cotta pots; these were carefully removed to an enormous “limonaia” or lemon house in the winter for protection from the cold. These plants survived over 300 years in their pots but suffered serious damage and loss during World War I, when the villa was repurposed as a field hospital and, alas, the plants were left outside through three winters. Today, through a concerted conservation and restoration project, the villa has the largest potted citrus plant collection in the world. This restoration was helped immensely by the paintings of the Flemish artist, Giusto Utens, who created 17 lunettes during the late 16th century for various Medici villas; each lunette carefully and meticulously depicted the lands and buildings of the particular villa in which it was placed.

March theme: When Life Gives You Lemons...
GIUSTO UTENS (? – 1609), “Lunette of Villa di Castello”, 1599. Petraia Villa Medici, Castello, Florence, Italy.
In 1539, Cosimo de’Medici created an extensive garden at his Villa di Castello near the hills northwest of Florence.
#arthistory #art #lemons

GIUSEPPE ARCIMBOLDO (1526 - 1593), “Winter”, 1583, Kunsthistorisches Museum, Vienna, Austria. Arcimboldo was born in Milan but he spent much of his artistic career in the service of the Habsburg court, first in Vienna and later in Prague. Much of his work consisted of traditional religious paintings, but he also created two series of whimsical, and yes odd, portraits (“teste composte” or composite heads) in which the sitter is composed of vegetables, fruits and plants! These, of course, are what make his famous today. The two series were entitled The Elements and The Seasons. “Winter” is from The Seasons series (only the originals for “Winter” and “Summer” have survived, although the artist made multiple copies for various patrons of both series and these can be found in museums around the world). “Winter” is a portrait of an old man, with wrinkled skin and a scraggly beard. The lemon, and an orange, give a flash of color to the otherwise monochrome composition. Citrus fruits were the only fruit available in Italy during the cold, winter months.

New month, new theme! The theme for March is: When Life Gives You Lemons...
Lemons found their way to the Mediterranean from the east via Arab traders by 200 CE, where they were prized not as food but as fragrant ornamentals and medicinal powerhouses.
#arthistory #art #lemons

The 2020 Tokyo Olympic and Paralympic Games were a celebration of perseverance and athletic solidarity for the first post-COVID games; the games were postponed for one year due to the pandemic and were actually held in 2021 (the Olympic Games in July and the Paralympic Games in August) with no official spectators allowed. The official emblem, designed by Asao Tokolo, is a geometric design made up of three different rectangular shapes forming a whole, representing the harmonious coming-together of the world’s different cultures and ways of thinking: the Olympics as a platform to connect the world. Araki’s design was the official art poster for the Tokyo Paralympic Games and it is phenomenal. Entitled “The Sky Above the Great Wave Off the Coast of Kanagawa”, the artist explains that the design shows the gods of sports descending on Japan from a sky filled with turbulent clouds; the clouds form the iconic “dragon” wave from Hokusai’s woodcut “The Great Wave of Kanagawa”. The gods are rushing away from the viewer and towards a honey-colored Mt. Fuji in the distance. Araki sprinkles in images from his popular manga series “JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure”. Tokyo2020 trivia: in the Olympics competition, American gymnast Simone Biles withdrew from the team competition after suffering from “the twisties”; in the high jump, Qatar’s Mutaz Essa Barshim and Italy Gianmarco Tamberi decided to share the gold medal rather than partake in a jump-off for one winner; 4,403 athletes in 22 sports participated in the Tokyo Paralympic Games; Paralympian sprinter Keula Nidreia Pereira Semedo, from Cape Verde, finished fourth in her 200 meter qualifying heat but received a bigger prize when her long-time guide, Manuel Antonio Vaz de Veiga, got down on one knee and proposed after they crossed the finish line (she said yes).

February's theme: Olympics Posters
2020 TOKYO PARALYMPIC GAMES. Designer: Hirohiko Araki (born 1960).
The 2020 Tokyo Olympic and Paralympic Games were a celebration of perseverance and athletic solidarity for the first post-COVID games.
#arthistory #art #Manga #Tokyo

Although Whiteread is primarily known for her sculptures, her intriguing design was chosen as the official Olympic poster for the 2012 games held in London. The concept behind her design is a vision of the Olympic rings seen as bottle or glasses marks symbolizing a coming-together for social unity (think: after-party clean-up). Each ring is shown in one of the Olympic colors, and the circular motif, scattered across the poster, suggests inclusion and wholeness. The goal of the London committee was firmly set on artistic excellence, rather than on a visual identity with the host city and/or country, which makes this poster markedly different from preceding Olympic posters. The official emblem (designed by Wolff Olins) – the neon pink 2012 logo seen in the lower right corner of the poster – was likewise edgy in design. London2012 trivia: the London games were the first to have female competitors in every sport; the London Organizing Committee was chaired by Lord Sebastian Coe, the only male athlete to win gold in the 1,500 meter race in consecutive Olympic Games (1980 and 1984); the Opening Ceremony, directed by Danny Boyle, famously included a short film featuring James Bond actor Daniel Craig and Queen Elizabeth II parachuting into the venue; Team Great Britain’s Andy Murray (of Scotland) won the gold medal in men’s tennis, which was held at Wimbledon on grass courts; Jamaican sprinter, Usain Bolt, successfully defended his title as the World’s Fastest Man with victories in the 100 and 200 meter sprints, repeating his wins from 2008 Beijing (he three-peated by winning both events again at 2016 Rio de Janeiro); Great Britain’s Nicola Adams became the first woman to win a boxing gold medal in Olympic history, as the event was introduced at the London games.

February's theme: Olympics Posters
2012 LONDON GAMES. Designer: Rachel Whiteread (born 1963).
Whiteread was the first women to be awarded the prestigious Turner Prize, given annually to a British visual artist.
#arthistory #art #OlympicGames #London

In a burst of design genius, one half of the leaf appears on each poster, so that the whole leaf appears when the two posters are placed side-by-side. The leaf itself is filled with images that reference the urban and natural elements to be found on the Pacific Coast: mountains, trees, animals (I see you, Canada geese!), ocean and architectural design. The official color palette of blues and greens that made up the Look of the Games also reflects the blue waters and green landscapes surrounding the host city; the Look of the Games directed the graphics for sports pictograms, advertising, merchandising, general decoration, programs, etc. to form a cohesive and branded look for everything connected to the Games. The emblem design (by Elena Rivera MacGregor) is of an inukshuk: the traditional piled stone “signposts” that are placed along routes throughout the vast Arctic landscape by the indigenous Inuits. Inukshuk have become symbolic of hope and friendship in addition to serving their practical purpose. The emblem colors also have symbolic meanings: green for the Pacific coast, blue for the ocean, red for Canada and golden yellow for the sun. The 2010 posters successfully created an indelible image of modern Canada to present to the world. Vancouver2010 trivia: for the first time at the Olympics, the ice hockey rink dimensions were of an NHL rink, which is narrower than an international ice hockey rink (this enabled the Vancouver Olympic committee to save on construction costs since an existing NHL rink was utilized); Vancouver was the first host city to include a Pride House for LGBTQ+ athletes; Sidney Crosby’s “Golden Goal” in overtime won the men’s ice hockey gold for the host country (Canada defeated the USA, 3-2); the women’s ice hockey gold medal was also won by Canada, by a score of 2-0 over the USA; American skier Lindsey Vonn won her first and only Olympic gold medal in the women’s downhill event.

February's theme: Olympics Posters
2010 VANCOUVER GAMES. Designer: Ben Hulse (born 1979).
The iconic symbol of Canada – the maple leaf – makes an impact on the official posters for the Vancouver Winter Olympic Games and the Paralympic Games held in 2010.
#arthistory #art #OlympicGames #Canada

Turin-native Armando Testa (1917 – 1992) was a printmaker with a strong interest in Bauhaus graphics. During World War II, he served as a photographer in service and, post-war, he founded his eponymous agency that specialized in both graphic design and film commercials. Testa designed the official Olympic poster for the Rome games of 1960. For the 2006 event, his agency took the Turin landmark building of the Mole Antonelliana, tipped it on its side and transformed its silhouette into an alpine ski slope in Olympic colors. The official emblem for the Torino games is also a version of the Mole silhouette, this time transformed into a mountain made out of ice crystals in blue and white. The Mole structure was designed by Alessandro Antonelli, who began construction in 1863. Its dome measures 548 feet (167 meters). Today, the Mole Antonelliana houses the Museo Nazionale del Cinema (a must-see if you find yourself in Turin). Torino2006 trivia: an ailing Luciano Pavarotti made his final public appearance at the Opening Ceremony, where he sang (okay, he lip-synced) an aria from Turandot; American Ted Ligety won gold in the combined alpine skiing event; Evgeni Plushenko of Russia won the men’s figure skating gold; Canada’s Duff Gibson won the men’s skeleton gold at the age of 39, which made him the oldest gold medal winner in Winter Olympic history (this record stood until 2014); Apolo Anton Ohno, the American short track speed skater, won a gold and two bronze medals.

February's theme: Olympics Posters
2006 TORINO GAMES. Designer: Armando Testa Advertising Agency.
Turin-native Armando Testa (1917 – 1992) was a printmaker with a strong interest in Bauhaus graphics.
#arthistory #art #OlympicGames #Turin

For the 28th Modern Olympic Games, held in 2004 in Athens, 28 Greek artists and designers were tasked with creating a visual identity that referenced Greek heritage. The official poster, designed by Théodora Mantzaris, does just that, incorporating yellow for the sunshine, blue for the sea, the “kotinos” olive wreath crown traditionally awarded to champions, ancient Greek writing extolling the exploits of athletes and – centrally located – a photograph of the Parthenon atop the Acropolis. Mantzaris received her Masters degree in graphic design and art direction from the Royal College of Art in London, which she attended on an Onassis Foundation Scholarship. Her career has been focused on creating corporate identity and branding. For the Athens Olympics, she developed the Panorama design, which creates the background of the poster and which was used throughout the games to cover virtually every available surface (from the medal presentation stands to the food stands). The Panorama design presented the world with Greek flavor throughout the weeks of the Games. The Hellenic patterns were sourced from ancient vases and mosaics. Athens2004 trivia: for the first time, Olympic coverage included video coverage via the internet; American swimmer Michael Phelps won 6 gold and 2 bronze medals; the shot put events were held at ancient Olympia; the marathon route began at the actual site of the Battle of Marathon (490 BCE); windsurfer Gal Fridman won Israel’s first-ever Olympic gold medal.

February's theme: Olympics Posters
2004 ATHENS GAMES. Designer: Théodora Mantzaris.
For the 28th Modern Olympic Games, held in 2004 in Athens, 28 Greek artists and designers were tasked with creating a visual identity that referenced Greek heritage.
#arthistory #art #OlympicGames #Greece

Masuteru Aoba’s design for the official Nagano Olympic poster is composed of manipulated photographs showing a songbird (a thrush) standing on the tops of ski poles at dawn, with the rising sun slowly lighting the sky behind the mountains. The thrush is a common winter presence in Japan and can often be found in traditional Japanese art. This winning design perfectly reflects Aoba’s bold graphic style, which stressed harmony with nature and a more optimistic future. In the 1970s and 1980s, his work included posters advocating non-violent social activism and environmental awareness. Color played a large role in his design aesthetic, and can be seen in the rich hues used in the Nagano poster. The official emblem, the “snowflower” design above “NAGANO” on Aoba’s poster, was created by Masanori Shirozuka; each of the colored petals of the snowflower is formed by an abstracted athlete competing in a winter Olympic sport.

February's theme: Olympic Posters
1998 NAGANO GAMES. Designer: Masuteru Aoba (1939 – 2011).
Masuteru Aoba’s design for the official Nagano Olympic poster is composed of manipulated photographs showing a songbird (a thrush) standing on the tops of ski poles at dawn.
#arthistory #art #OlympicGames

The American graphic designer and printmaker, Primo Angeli, produced the classic design that was selected for the official poster of the 1996 Atlanta Olympics – the centennial of the Modern Games. For his design, Angeli created a visually pleasing visual that incorporates the five Olympic colors, the Olympic rings (also in the five official colors, in the middle “A” of “ATLANTA” at the base of the design), a human silhouette based on Greek antiquity, and the official emblem. The emblem is of a stylized flaming torch – seen below the rings in “ATLANTA” – and this design is subtly echoed in the flames and stars shown in light grey within the figure’s stark white silhouette. Angeli won many design awards throughout his career for his corporate branding (for mega-companies including Coca-Cola, Xerox and DHL), packaging and poster design. He also produced posters for the Sydney (2000) and Salt Lake City (2002) Olympics. His graphics are clean and aesthetically pleasing, never cluttered or over-designed. Atlanta1996 trivia: the Games were marred by a pipe bomb that exploded at Centennial Olympic Park, killing two and injuring over 100; Gladys Knight sang “Georgia on my Mind” during the Opening Ceremony; Muhammad Ali was given the honor of lighting the Olympic cauldron; Canadian sprinter, Donovan Bailey, won the gold medal in the 100 meter dash with a world record time of 9.84 seconds; after suffering an ankle injury earlier in the evening, American gymnast, Kerri Strug, landed a vault on one leg to secure the women’s team gold medal for the USA.

February's theme: Olympics Posters
1996 ATLANTA GAMES. Designer: Primo Angeli (1906 – 2003).
#arthistory #art #OlympicGames

The Lillehammer designs were inspired by the 4,000 year old petroglyphs found on Norway’s northern island of Rødøy; these ancient rock carvings include the world’s oldest known illustration of a human on skis. The official poster, designed by Ashley Booth and Sarah Rosenbaum, riffs on these ancient depictions to show a runner carrying the Olympic torch along with other figures participating in Winter Olympic events. The vibrant colors of the 1994 poster recalls the burning sky background of the Norwegian artist Edvard Munch’s famous painting “The Scream”. The official Lillehammer Olympic emblem, seen between “Lillehammer” and “ ’94” at the heading on the poster, is a stylized aurora borealis lighting the sky above the Olympic rings. Ashley Booth, who headed the graphic design department for the 1994 Games, wanted the visuals to highlight Norwegian originality and respect for the environment, connecting the country’s winter sports heritage and environmental leadership. Lillehammer1994 trivia: Lillehammer, a resort town in the Scandinavian Mountain range, is the northern-most city to ever host the Olympics; Oksana Baiul won the women’s figure skating gold medal, the first ever medal for Ukraine in the country’s first Olympic appearance as an independent country; the host country, Norway, won the overall medal count with 26, which included three golds for speed skater Johann Olav Koss; the men’s ice hockey gold was won by Sweden over Canada, with Peter Forsberg scoring the winning goal in a shoot-out.

February's theme: Olympics Posters
1994 LILLEHAMMER GAMES. Designers: Ashley Booth & Sarah E. Rosenbaum.
The Lillehammer official designs were the first to incorporate cultural heritage into the sports pictograms that first appeared at the Tokyo 1964 games.
#arthistory #art #OlympicGames #Norway

The organizing committee of the Barcelona Olympics commissioned a total of 58 official posters for the event, but this design by Josep Maria Trias is the poster most identified with the 1992 games. It is a joyful, simple design of a figure – in blue (for the Mediterranean Sea), yellow (for sunshine) and red (for love) - jumping over the Olympic rings. The style of this figure (which was also the Games’ official emblem) references the famous Catalan painter, Joan Miró. Josep Maria Trias, now retired, had a robust artistic career as a graphic designer, painter and musician; he created design campaigns for television, the transit system and chambers of commerce in and around his home base of Barcelona. Barcelona1992 trivia: 1992 was the final time that both the Summer and Winter Olympics were held during the same year; the cauldron was lit by a flaming arrow, shot by the Paralympic archer Antonio Rebollo; the gold medal in basketball was won by the USA “Dream Team”, the first time that professional NBA players were allowed to participate; Fu Mingxia, from China, won the gold medal in diving at the ripe old age of 13; track sprinter Derek Redmond, of Great Britain, tore a hamstring during his 400 meter semi-final heat, but he was able to cross the finish line with the help of his father who came down out of the crowd and aided him (to a standing ovation).

February's theme: Olympics Posters
1992 BARCELONA GAMES. Designer: Josep Maria Trias (born 1948).
#arthistory #art #OlympicGames #Barcelona

Hyun Kim, a graphic designer from Seoul, also created the official mascot Hodori, a tiger, for the 1988 summer games. For this poster, the artist highlights the “buchaechum”, the traditional South Korean fan dance which was first performed in 1954. His design is colorful and modern, with vibrant hues and two swirling fans held by a single dancer. The Seoul Olympics stressed harmony and unity as universal themes for the 159 nations that participated. North Korea did not participate; it had insisted on co-hosting the 1988 Olympics with South Korea but the I.O.C. nixed that idea. Seoul1988 trivia: these were the final Olympics for the Soviet Union and East Germany, as both countries no longer existed by the time the next games were held in 1992; the Swedish fencer, Kerstin Palm, competed in her 7th Olympics at the age of 42 (she did not medal); all of the equestrian dressage events (which are open-gender competitions) were won, for the first time, by female riders; West Germany’s Steffi Graf won the women’s singles tennis gold medal and completed a “golden slam” in 1988 by winning all four Grand Slam tennis titles plus the Olympic title during one calendar year.

February's theme: Olympics Posters
1988 SEOUL GAMES. Designer: Hyun Kim (born 1949).
This lovely design is one of the Olympic cultural posters, separate from the official main poster and sports posters.
#arthistory #art #OlympicGames #SouthKorea

Other artists submitting work included Garry Winogrand, John Baldessari, Lynda Benglis and Roy Lichtenstein. Rauschenberg’s submission reflects his interest in photography and collage, and is a riff on the Los Angeles Olympic emblem of a shooting star. He cut up photographs of American sports (including skateboarding and basketball), industrial images (urban settings and modern technology) and natural items (fruits and vegetables and animals) and reassembled the bits to form the star in motion imagery. Los Angeles1984 trivia: the Olympic cauldron was lit by Rafer Johnson, the 1960 decathlon gold medalist, who received the torch from a granddaughter of Jesse Owens; Carl Lewis won 4 gold medals in track and field; Sebastian Coe of Great Britain won his second consecutive Olympic gold in the 1500 meter event; the Soviet Union and Warsaw Pact countries (minus Romania) boycotted of the Los Angeles games in retaliation of the US-led boycott of the 1980 Moscow Olympics over the invasion of Afghanistan; Los Angeles had previously hosted the 1932 Summer Olympics, and will host them again in 2028.

February's theme: Olympics Posters
1984 LOS ANGELES GAMES. Designer: Robert Rauschenberg, 1925 – 2008.
16 established and emerging artists were asked to produce designs for the 1984 Los Angeles Olympics, with Robert Rauschenberg’s design chosen as the official poster.
#arthistory #art #OlympicGames

This poster is one of eight that Mujezinović designed for the official sports posters for the event. All of his sports poster designs show dynamic athletes in motion; this particular poster features a speed skater, determined to reach the finish line. Mujezinović’s sketchy lines and watercolor washes emphasize the speed at which the skater moves. The Sarajevo Olympics were a resounding success, that led to an economic and urban revival for the city and an overwhelmingly positive image was projected to the world. Alas, this optimism and joy was crushed less than a decade later when the city was militarily crushed during the Bosnian War (1992 – 1996). Sarajevo1984 trivia: the Olympic flag was raised upside-down during the opening ceremonies by mistake (this also happened at the 2024 Paris Olympics); Torvill and Dean, representing the UK, were perfection in their ice dancing program skated to Ravel’s Boléro; American Scott Hamilton won the men’s figure skating gold, bolstered by his lead after the compulsory figures (the 1988 Olympics would be the last games that still required compulsory figures); Katarina Witt of East Germany won the women’s figure skating gold; East Germany won 11 speedskating medals, including 4 gold medals.

February's theme: Olympics Posters
1984 SARAJEVO GAMES. Designer: Ismar Mujezinović (born 1942).
Mujezinović is a Bosnian contemporary artist whose work combines digital and figurative elements.
#arthistory #art #OlympicGames #sarajevo

Whitney's poster design was designated the official poster for the 1980 Winter Olympics by the Olympic Committee. The design melds a mountain range on the right with a stylized Greek column on the left, which rises up towards the Olympic rings. The double “dip” top of the column references the Olympic cauldrons from the 1932 and the 1980 Olympics, both held in Lake Placid. Several of the venues from the 1932 event were renovated and then reused for the 1980 competitions. I like this poster design but, at least to me, it seems too similar to the Innsbruck poster from the previous Olympics. Lake Placid1980 trivia: the US won 6 gold medals in Lake Placid, one by the “Miracle on Ice” men’s hockey team and five by speedskater Eric Heiden (who set four Olympic records and one World record); Sweden’s skier Ingemar Steinmark won gold in both the slalom and giant slalom events; this was the first Olympics which used artificial snow to supplement natural snow; the Olympic Village, built to house the athletes during the event, was repurposed afterwards as a federal correctional facility.

February's theme: Olympics Posters
1980 LAKE PLACID GAMES. Designer: Robert W. Whitney (1928 – 2015).
Whitney was a graphic artist and watercolorist who was born and raised in Lake Placid, New York.
#arthistory #art #OlympicGames #LakePlacid

The sweeping white can be viewed as a ski jump, a ski run, a bobsled track, or a skate blade. It also cleverly forms an “i” for the host city of Innsbruck, flanked by colorful Tyrolean mountain peaks. The Swiss Zelger was a highly influential graphic artist, working in advertising and promotional tourism materials for his beloved Tyrol, where he lived. Innsbruck1976 trivia: Denver, Colorado was initially awarded the 1976 Winter Games but, after the population voted down funding the event, the IOC pivoted to Innsbruck, Austria (which had hosted in 1964); West Germany’s Rosi Mittermaier dominated the women’s alpine skiing events, winning two gold and one silver medals; there were two Olympic cauldrons for these games, one from the 1964 games and one from the 1976 games, and both were lit simultaneously.

February's theme: Olympics Posters
1976 INNSBRUCK GAMES. Design: Arthur Zelger (1914 – 2004).
Arthur Zelger’s elegant design for the official Innsbruck poster was widely praised for its inclusive representation of multiple events in a clean, minimalist image.
#arthistory #art #OlympicGames

The Montreal Olympic Organizing Committee commissioned two separate series of official posters: a “thematic” series (8 designs) and a “sports” series (21 designs). This poster is one of the thematic posters, featuring the official mascot. The Committee explained: “No animal has played a greater role in the development of a country than the beaver in Canada”. The mascot was named Amik – the Algonquin word for “beaver”. The first Olympic mascot was introduced at the 1972 Munich games, where the mascot figure was a colorful dachshund named Waldi. The Canadian designers decided that Amik should be a dignified representation of the hard-working animal rather than a cutesy cartoon figure. The rainbow stripe was chosen for its beauty against the minimalist black form of Amik (he was also shown with a solid red stripe on some materials). Montreal1976 trivia: Queen Elizabeth II opened the games in person, as Queen of Canada; Princess Anne, the Princess Royal, competed in the equestrian events; Taro Aso of Japan competed as a member of the Japanese shooting team (he would later become Prime Minister of Japan); Nadia Comǎneci of Romania scored the first perfect 10 ever awarded in gymnastics; Japanese gymnast Shun Fujimoto helped Japan win the team gold medal by landing a dismount on the rings even though he had broken his knee during the earlier floor exercise.

February's theme: Olympics Posters
1976 MONTREAL GAMES. Designers: Pierre-Yves Pelletier (1938 – 2016), Yvon Larouche (born 1942) and Guy St. Arnaud.
#arthistory #art #OlympicGames #GraphicArts

Kono has incorporated the official emblem, designed by Kazumasa Nagai, which shows the red rising sun (symbol of Japan), a stylized snowflake (for the winter games), the Olympic rings and the text Sapporo ’72. Below this emblem, Kono has placed a snow-covered mountain and an ice rink – two items that commemorate the snow and ice events of the games. An aesthetically pleasing design simplicity, using natural forms, was central to Kono’s creative output, which spanned posters, advertisements, costume and set design. Sapporo1972 trivia: Yukio Kasaya earned Japan’s first ever Olympic gold medal, winning the ski jump (normal hill) event; American skier Barbara Cochran (one of three Cochran siblings on the US Olympic ski team that year) won gold in the slalom (her son, Ryan Cochran-Siegle, competed this year in Milano-Cortina in the downhill); these were the last Winter Games when a skier won a gold medal using all-wooden skis.

February's theme: Olympics Posters
1972 SAPPORO GAMES. Designer: Takashi Kono (1906 – 1999).
Kono’s winning design for the official poster of the Sapporo Games reflects his embrace of uncluttered, clean design.
#arthistory #art #OlympicGames #GraphicArts

The influence of Op Art is very apparent in the design for the 1968 Mexico City Olympic logo, which is unsurprising given that the three artists who collaborated on the official design all lived in New York City in the mid-1960s when Op Art was everywhere. Pedro Ramirez Vázquez was an architect by trade who was a primary organizer for the event; he laid the direction for the design campaign. Eduardo Terrazas and Lance Wyman were the graphic artists who brought the initial concept to fruition. The design pays homage to the art and textiles of the Huichol people of Mexico. Huichol crafts use geometric elements including concentric circles and repetitive linear outlines. Mexico City1968 trivia: one of the most indelible images in sports occurred during these Olympics when American sprinters Tommie Smith and John Carlos raised their black gloved hands on the medal podium in support of civil rights; American long jumper Bob Beamon set the Olympic record at 8.90 meters, a record that has still not be bested; this was the first Olympics in which a synthetic all-weather surface was used for track and field events (previously, the track was a cinder track).

February's theme: Olympics Posters
1968 MEXICO CITY GAMES. Designers: Pedro Ramirez Vázquez (1919 – 2013), Eduardo Terrazas (born 1936), and Lance Wyman (born 1937).
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Attention Alphabetters!
This is your reminder that Monday 9 Feb is the beginning of Week F and the #AlphabetChallenge theme is Framed. Framed photos, artworks, tickets, letters - anything framed. But also anything seen through a frame is good too.
Use the # below and have fun😊

The artist’s design depicts the Olympic rings as an alpine skier hurtling down a snowy slope. Brian’s cartoons were popular additions to French newspapers and magazines, and he also had a robust side gig producing novelty postcards (often with sporting themes). Grenoble1968 trivia: compulsory doping testing was first introduced in these Games; East and West Germany competed for the first time as separate teams; the French alpine skier Jean-Claude Killy won three gold medals; 19-year old American figure skater, Peggy Fleming, was the youngest athlete to win a gold medal at Grenoble (I can still see her chartreuse skating dress); the Italian bobsledder, Eugenio Monti, was the oldest gold medal winner at these games (he won two golds); the medals were presented on neck ribbons for the first time, rather than the chains from previous Olympics.

February's theme: Olympics Posters
1968 GRENOBLE GAMES. Designer: Jean Brian (1911 – 1990).
Jean Brian was a French cartoonist and illustrator who designed the official 1968 Olympic poster for the Grenoble games.
#arthistory #art #OlympicGames #GraphicArts

Kamekura studied graphic design at the prestigious Institute of New Architecture & Industrial Arts in Tokyo, which stressed the clean, uncluttered aesthetics of the Bauhaus ethos. The design for the official 1964 Olympics poster reflects this training: a modern, minimalist design featuring the red rising sun emblem of the Japanese national flag over the Olympic rings in gold and the wording “Tokyo 1964” also in gold, all set against a plain white background. The typography used for the wording is likewise clean and modern in the Helvetica font. Kamekura also designed a series of posters for the individual sporting events, using photographs taken at dramatic angles. The potential confusion of language and alphabets for the 1964 games was cleverly avoided by the introduction of internationally understood pictograms (also designed by Kamekura) for the first time; pictograms (for everything from restrooms to food stands to individual sports) have since become a staple to ensure that language does not became an excluding barrier at the Olympic Games. Tokyo1964 Olympic trivia: this was the first Olympic Games to be held in a Asian country; it was the first time that South Africa was excluded from the Games due to its sports apartheid system; and it was the first time that the Games were televised internationally (there was even partial color telecasts for some events).

February's theme: Olympics Posters
1964 TOKYO GAMES. Designer: Yusaku Kamekura (1915 – 1997).
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Drafted into service as a technical draftsman for the German Wehrmacht during World War II gave Jaruska the experience to pursue a post-war career in poster design and illustration. He became a respected artist and professor at the Federal Institute of Graphic Art and Research in Vienna. In 1961, Jaruska was one of 12 Austrian artists invited to submit designs for the official Olympic poster for the upcoming 1964 event to be held at Innsbruck in the Tyrolian Alps. His winning design sparkles with a crisp snow crystal, dramatically cut in half and placed against a dark black background with the colorful Olympic rings highlighted. The simplicity of the design is the secret to its success: snow/winter, rings/Olympics, location and date. Jaruska went on to a long career with commissioned work for the city of Vienna, as well as illustrating children’s books. Innusbruck1964 Olympic trivia: due to a lack of expected snowfall leading up to the Games, the Austrian military was mobilized to truck in snow, which they spread by hand on the ski slopes and on the bobsled and toboggan runs; luge was a debut sport this year, with the Germans winning 5 out of the 6 available gold medals; the Russian speed skater Lidia Skoblikova swept the women’s gold medals, winning all four events with Olympic records.

February's theme: Olympics Posters
1964 INNSBRUCK GAMES. Designer: Wilhelm Jaruska (1916 – 2008).
Jaruska was apprenticed as a teenager as an industrial painter in a tapestry workshop and in the 1930s he branched out into printing.
#arthistory #art #OlympicGames #GraphicArts

It is not always easy to separate the art from the propaganda or even from bad behavior. I have trouble looking at Gauguin's artwork, for example; I get the genius of the accomplishment but it is hard to overlook his treatment of young natives.

Testa's design won the competition for the 1960 Rome Olympics but that was invalidated by the judging committee, which rejected all 249 design entries because they did not meet the committee’s requirements for certain specific information. So a second competition was held – and Testa won again! His design is a modern take on the Belvedere Capital that was excavated in the ancient Roman ruins of the Baths of Caracalla. The column capital depicts a victorious athlete holding a palm of victory while crowning himself (as per the ancient Roman custom). Atop the capital, Testa placed the symbol of Rome: the antique bronze statue known as the Capitoline Wolf with the mother wolf suckling the figures of Romulus and Remus (the legendary founders of Rome). Rome1960 Olympic trivia: this was the first time that the Paralympic Games were held in conjunction with the Summer Games; American sprinter (and polio survivor) Wilma Rudolph won three gold medals; Cassius Clay (later known as Muhammad Ali) won the boxing light-heavyweight gold as an 18-year old; Singapore competed for the first time under its own flag.

February's theme: Olympics Posters
1960 ROME GAMES. Designer: Armando Testa (1917 – 1992).
Testa was an illustrator and printer who founded an influential advertising agency in his hometown of Turin, Italy.
#arthistory #art #OlympicGames #GraphicArts