A collection from last year’s Olympic Opening Ceremony, including objects used by artists such as the costume of Dionysus and the torch, will be offered for bidding on 13 April at the ‘Maison du Sport Français’.
The public sale venue is located in the Charléty Stadium in Paris’ 13th arrondissement, and houses the headquarters of the French National Olympic and Sports Committee (CNOSF). Built in 1991, it opened its doors just before the 1992 Albertville Winter Games. Since its announcement on Wednesday, the initiative to sell these items aims to raise funds for three charitable organisations.
Among the 200-plus lots available to the public are Olympic relay torches, cauldron, and lantern that accompanied the flame’s journey, along with costumes and accessories used in the Games’ opening ceremony. The sell-off, under the name ‘L’Héritage’, will be managed by the national auction house located in the heart of Paris, Vermot et Associés, with estimated prices ranging from a few hundred to several thousand euros.
One notable item is a torch carried by the mysterious masked runners, who swiftly cross the rooftops of the City of Light. Also available for purchase is the controversial costume worn by Marie Antoinette, who opened the ceremony at the iconic La Conciergerie, holding her head aloft as a grim reminder of her guillotining. Alongside this, costumes worn by other performers in the spectacle, known for its modern vision, are also on offer.
Among the other notable pieces is the outfit worn by singer Philippe Katerine, who appeared naked, painted blue, and crowned with a garland and bell, embodying the Greek god of wine and revelry in a Dionysian-inspired performance. His act, set to a song about “the absurdity of violence between humans,” became one of the event’s most symbolic moments.
Following the ceremony, France’s Conference of Bishops condemned the scene, calling it a “mockery and scorn towards Christianity,” while the Assembly of Orthodox Bishops of France stated it had offended “Christian citizens in France and beyond,” urging authorities to uphold secular values.
The ceremony sparked significant debate, especially among religious groups, over a scene some viewed as a parody of Leonardo da Vinci’s The Last Supper, performed by drag queens and other artists, which led to backlash against Artistic Director Thomas Jolly. Much of the criticism came through social media, and several individuals involved faced trial in a Paris court last month.
