Olympic Posters

Paris 1900

1900

Paris Games

Artist: Jean de Paléologue

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The poster features a woman fencer dressed in black holding her sport's three weapons: foil, épée and sabre. From a historical perspective, featuring sportswomen on posters was uncommon at the time, since no women took part in the Olympic fencing events in 1900.

Stockholm 1912

1912

Stockholm Games

Artist: Olle Hjortzberg

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The poster represents nations marching towards their common goal, the Olympic Games. While nobody questioned the poster's artistic merit, it did spark shock and criticism when it appeared because the athletes in it were naked (even though ribbons were added). The poster was banned in China, for example.

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1920

Antwerp Games

Artists: Walter Von der Ven and Martha Van Kuyck

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This Belle Epoque poster features a discus thrower in the forefront, surrounded by a whirl of interweaving flags. The images in the background are a few of Antwerp's hallmarks: the Cathedral of Our Lady, Grote Markt (a town square) and the Hôtel de Ville (city hall).

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1924

Paris Games

Artist: Jean Droit

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The athletes in this poster are making the Olympic salute, the palm leaves in the forefront symbolise victory, the escutcheon is the emblem of Paris, and the French flag is floating in the background.

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1928

Amsterdam Games

Artist: Emil Huber

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The runner is holding a branch of laurel, symbolising victory, the inscription on the dark blue background reads "Olympische Spiele 1928 – Amsterdam", and the Dutch flag sweeps across the bottom of the image.

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1948

London Games

Artist: Walter Herz

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In this poster, an image of the Townley Discobolus (the original marble statue is on display at the British Museum) and the Olympic rings in the forefront overlie the Palace of Westminster in the background. In other words, classical and modern symbols of the Olympic Games combined with Big Ben.

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1960

Rome Games

Artist: Armando Testa

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This poster is a modern variant on the Belvedere capital, which was originally in the Baths of Caracalla in ancient Rome. The Capitoline Wolf, which symbolises Rome, is feeding Romulus and Remus, the twins who founded the city according to the legend.

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1964

Tokyo Games

Artist: Yusaku Kamekura

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The poster uses the emblem of the 1964 Summer Olympics in Tokyo. It is a simple and lively reinterpretation of the rising sun on Japan's national flag, combined with the Olympic rings.

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1968

Mexico Games

Artists: Pedro Ramirez Vazquez, Eduardo Terrazas and Lance Wyman

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The "Mexico 68" emblem in the centre of the poster seems to be reverberating in all directions. It expands through the parallel black and white lines surrounding it, which create an optical illusion of movement and is reminiscent of the Huichol people's art.

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1972

Munich Games

Artist: Otl Aicher

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The silhouette of a tent-shaped roof mirrors that of the city's Olympic bases and the Olympic tower is standing in the background. The official emblem stands in the top-right corner. Created by Otl Aicher, it was chosen among 2332 other designs.

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1976

Montreal Games

Artists: Ernst Roch and Rolf Harder

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This poster is called "The Invitation". The five Olympic rings in the middle are symbolically reaching out in successive waves, and inviting athletes on every continent to take part in the 1976 Games.

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1980

Moscow Games

Artist: Vladimir Arsentyev

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The emblem on this poster is a combination of three components: the Olympic rings at the base, two sets of stadium tracks converging into an image that also calls to mind a typical Muscovite building, and a five-pointed star at the pinnacle.

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1988

Seoul Games

Artist: Pr. Cho Yong-je

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This poster represents the 1988 Summer Olympics' motto : the bright, shining rings symbolise the Olympic ideal propagating peace around the world, and the athlete represents humankind's constant progress towards happiness and prosperity. The blue and orange colours symbolise the Land of Morning Calm.

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1992

Barcelona Games

Artist: Josep Maria Trias

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Barcelona 1992's official poster depicts an athlete jumping over the Olympic rings. The stylised silhouette's head is blue (the colour of the Mediterranean Sea), its arms are bright yellow and outstretched (signifying hospitality), and its legs are bright red (symbolising life).

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1996

Atlanta Games

Author: Primo Angeli

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The official poster combines classic and contemporary symbols to celebrate the centenary of the modern Olympic Games. On the athlete's chest appears the emblem of the 1996 Games. Through this drawing, the artist’s intention is to represent a character who could be a man as well as a woman.

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2000

Sydney Games

Artist: FHA Image Design

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This poster features Millennium Man, a character made up of boomerangs. The zigzagging white line represents the Sydney Opera House, which also appears at the bottom of the image. There is a human-shaped shadow on the dark blue background behind Millennium Man.

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2004

Athens Games

Artists: Wolff Olins Consultants and Red Design Consultants

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This poster depicts an olive wreath, the prize that Olympic Games victors received in days of old. The branches symbolise peace and are inviting people to embrace Olympic ideals. The blue and white are reminiscent of the country's sea and sky.

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2008

Beijing Games

Author : Prof. He Jie

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The official poster shows birds flying over a mountainous landscape. The emblem of the Games, Beijing dancing, represents a running and dancing human silhouette, formed from the Chinese character jing (which means "the capital").

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2012

London Games

Artist: Rachel Whiteread

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The interlacing circles in the Olympic colours on this poster look like the marks that bottles may leave on a table after a gathering, so they also suggest a group of supporters who have met up to enjoy the Games, or groups of athletes gathering for the opening ceremony.

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2016

Rio Games

Author: unknown

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The official poster shows the emblem of Rio 2016 on a white background. The shape of the logo is inspired by the emblematic Sugar Loaf Mountain in Rio and represents different athletes and people coming together in a collective movement and a warm embrace.