A list of curious facts
One: This is more of a mind-blowing fact. Did you know artists competed for Olympic medals for the first 40 years of its history—from 1912 to 1952? Artists submitted works in the five categories—painting, sculpture, architecture, literature, and music—which were dubbed the “pentathlon of the Muses” by Olympics founder Pierre de Coubertin. An important point to note: They all depicted athletic themes.
A total 151 medals were awarded, but sadly, many of the winners were not preserved for posterity:
Researchers have lists of artists and artwork titles submitted for each Olympics, but descriptions are absent or vague. Artists sometimes created multiple works with similar titles, making verification difficult. Little was photographed, or was captured only in black and white. Curators scan auctions and online sales. Language is a barrier. Not all advertised pieces are declared as having been a part of the Olympics.
The best-known medal winners include French sculptor Paul Landowski and Dutch painter Isaac Israëls—whose painting titled ‘The Red Rider’ is below:
Also notable: The gold medal winning sculpture in the 1924 Paris Olympics called ‘Discobole’ (Discus Thrower)—by Greek artist Costas Dimitriadis. See below. The lead image is of ‘The Liffey Swim’ by Jack B Yeats. (New York Times, paywall, Smithsonian Magazine)
Two: Sticking with art—but the controversial kind—did you know about a movement to remove Renoirs from museums? It had an excellently rude name: ‘Renoir Sucks At Painting’. Yes, it was motivated by common present-day objections to white male artists of yore. He was anti-Semitic—with a predilection for painting unflattering versions of the female form. But more amusingly, the campaign was a comment on his talent—or lack thereof. Renoir—according to these protesters—was a typical example of the mediocre white guy who gets all the accolades—while talented people of colour slave in obscurity.
What’s more interesting is that they were not the first to reach that conclusion:
Critics argue Renoir paid no attention to line or composition (he painted as though on a pot, the charge runs) and ignored the contemporary concerns of his day. Most damning, seemingly, is the accusation that Renoir’s paintings are pretty. Good art, of course, cannot simply be pretty.
Also: Donald Trump loves Renoir—even owns one, though it’s fake. We find that an even more surprising fact. FYI: Our fave is ‘The Umbrellas’—which captures the chaos of monsoon. (Artnet)
Three: Camels are strange but truly remarkable creatures. For instance, camels can drink up to 30 gallons (113 litres) of water in 13 minutes. Watching them in action is something else:
No, all that water isn't stored in its hump (or two)—contrary to popular belief. Baby camels, in fact, only develop humps once they start eating solid food. These store up to 80 pounds (36 kilos) of fat—which can break down into water and energy when needed.
Wait, there’s more: Did you know camels shed hair? Like, really, really shed hair—up to five points a year? It happens between the months of June and July—and takes six-eight weeks. It looks kinda insane:
For a lovely travelogue starring camels, check out this 1929 issue in The Atlantic. (National Geographic)