La Course, from "Hero and Leander" 1801

"La Course", or "The Race", is a hand-colored etching by Louis Philibert Debucourt, created in 1801. The print depicts three men in a race, with one runner at the finish line, extending his hand towards the finish post, while a crowd looks on. The print, part of a series called "Hero and Leander", exemplifies Debucourt's fascination with classical themes and the athletic ideal. Now part of the collection at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York, this print demonstrates Debucourt's talent for capturing movement and detail.