Paris 1924 Sport, Art and The Body

Paris 1924 Sport, Art and the Body explores the Olympic games from a visual perspective, investigating the tensions between their classical beginnings and their representation in 1924 and across the modern era. How were the 1924 Olympics shaped by the visual culture of the period? And how, in turn, were the arts shaped by them? From plaster casts of fifth-century BCE athletic statues to Hollywood cinema, and from classic portraits of the protagonists to more abstract art, Paris 1924 brings together painting, sculpture, film, photography, posters, letters, medals, and other memorabilia to tell a story of sporting endeavor that equally mirrored and shaped its times. Issues of gender, race, and class, as well as an exploration of celebrity and spectatorship, show that the debate around sport was as complex and momentous in the past as it is today.

The book includes essays by specialists from the fields of classics, art history, French history, sports history, and medicine, each of whom will focus on key themes in the exhibition and key protagonists in the Olympic story. The subject matter will appeal to fans of both art and sports and tap into the enthusiasm for all things Olympic in 2024.

208 pages | 100 color plates | 6.69 x 9.4