Alfred Thomson

Biographical information

RolesCompeted in Olympic Games
SexMale
Full nameAlfred Reginald•Thomson
Used nameAlfred•Thomson
Born10 December 1894 in Bengaluru (Bangalore), Karnataka (IND)
Died27 October 1979 in Chelsea, England (GBR)
NOC Great Britain
Medals OG
Gold 1
Silver 0
Bronze 0
Total 1

Biography

Alfred Thomson was born deaf and attended the Royal School for the Deaf and Dumb. He studied at the Royal School of Art and became known as a portrait painter who was equally at home designing film posters. During World War II he served as an official war artist painting scenes of military and civilian life in Great Britain. Thomson was also adept at creating murals and as a caricaturist. He won an Olympic gold medal in 1948 for his painting of boxers at the London Amateur Boxing Championships. The full title is The London Amateur Boxing Championship held at the Royal Albert Hall. It is a painting in oil on canvas measuring 116.8 x 88.9 cm. It last changed hands at Christie’s in 2012 for around 90,000 Euros. This was the only time that a British painter was victorious in the Olympic arts competitions.

Results

Games Discipline (Sport) / Event NOC / Team Pos Medal As
1948 Summer Olympics Art Competitions GBR Alfred Thomson
Painting, Paintings, Open (Olympic) 1 Gold