Artefacts

Reference record. Munich 1972, winner's medal, bronze.

Physical description

Medal with a belly strap and chain. Obverse: representation of a woman, allegory of Glory, holding a laurel wreath in her right hand and a palm branch in her left hand. She is sitting on steps that have bas-reliefs representing a chariot with horses. To her right is an amphora. In the background there is a two-storey building with arcades. Caption: "XX. / Olympiad / Munich / 1972". Reverse: Castor and Pollux, twin sons of Zeus and Leda, patrons of sports competitions and friendship, represented by two naked young men. Engraver's hallmark (?) under the twins, resembling a rune. Edge: caption on both sides of the belly stating the sport and the athlete's name.

Created

Created: Bayerisches Hauptmünzamt Created: Giuseppe CASSIOLI Created: Gerhard MARCKS (18.02.1889)

Materials

bronze

Colors

bronze

Dimension

ø 6.6 x 0.65 cm, 131 g

Literature

LENNARTZ, Karl. Olympische Siege: Medaillen, Diplome, Ehrungen. Berlin : Sportverlag, cop. 2000. 474 p. ISBN 3-328-00865-9. Témoins d'une certaine image des Jeux / Evoking an Image of the Games. Lausanne : Musée Olympique, 2003. 148 p. ISBN 92-9160-074-1. GREENSFELDER, Jim. VORONTSOV, Oleg. LALLY, Jim.. Olympic Medals, A Reference Guide. Saratoga : GVL Enterprises, 1998. GADOURY, Victor, Médailles et Monnaies Olympiques, Monaco : Editions Victor Gadoury, 1996. 555 p. ISBN 2-906602-10-8. Die Spiele : the Official Report of the Organizing Committtee for the Games of the XXth Olympiad Munich 1972, vol. I. Munich : Prosport, cop. 1974. Le Centre d'Etudes Olympiques. Les médailles des Jeux Olympiques d'été d'Athènes 1896 à Tokyo 2020. Le Centre d'Etudes Olympiques, 2019 The Olympic Studies Centre. Olympic Summer Games Medals from Athens 1896 to Tokyo 2020. The Olympic Studies Centre, 2019

Type of item

Medals -> winner's medal

Reference number

140309

Keywords

Munich 1972, Olympic Games victory [athlète]Athlete Laurel Mythologie classique friendship

Notes

The engraving on the backs of the winners’ medals was by sculptor Gerhard Marck (1889-1981). It represents Castor and Pollux (The Heavenly Twins), brothers of Helen and children of Zeus and Leda. His nude, elongated silhouettes are sculpted in a brotherly and friendly pose. This representation is characteristic of this work. The former member of the Werkbund taught at the Weimar Bauhaus from its opening in 1919 until it was closed down in 1924 and had to be relocated to Dessau. Marck declined to follow Gropuis and his students, preferring to teach at the School of Decorative Arts in Burg Giebichenstein.