Existing in eight different versions, Robert Delaunay's "The Runners" is a captivating oil on canvas painted in 1924 for the Paris Olympic Games, testifying to the artistic creativity and innovation of Orphism, a movement of which the artist was a precursor alongside his wife Sonia.

Like the painting "Cardiff Team," this painting is a perfect example of how Delaunay used art and the theme of sport to capture the modernity of his era, characterized by the enthusiasm for progress and speed in urban life.

At the heart of the painting, a group of five athletes is depicted running around a bend on an athletic track. The scene unfolds before the empty stands of a stadium, creating a strange atmosphere where the excitement of sport mixes with solitude. Delaunay uses vibrant colors and geometric shapes to bring this composition to life, reflecting the energy and movement of the athletes.

A fact as surprising as it is fascinating: it was announced in 2023 that a female portrait, probably made by Delaunay, was discovered on the back of the canvas during the restoration of the work begun in 2019. Vertical in format, unlike "The Runners," it depicts Bella Chagall, the wife of the famous painter Marc Chagall.
While the friendship between the Delaunay and Chagall couples is well known, this unexpected discovery raises intriguing questions for Art historians, researchers, and restorers, opening new perspectives on Robert Delaunay's life and artistic influences.