Nurmi Running the 1500 Meter 

Andre Dunoyer de Segonzac captured this image of the Finnish runner, Paavo Nurmi, using pen and ink on paper. Nurmi, nicknamed the "Flying Finn," dominated distance running in the early 20th century. De Segonzac’s sketch reduces Nurmi to his most essential attribute: his motion. The quick, gestural lines convey a sense of speed and relentless energy. Nurmi was a national hero in Finland, a country asserting its identity after gaining independence in 1917. He embodied values of perseverance and national pride. Yet, there's also a starkness to the image; the athletic body, stripped bare, becomes almost anonymous. The sketch captures a moment of intense physical exertion and invites reflection on the cultural and political meanings projected onto athletes, especially in the interwar period. It reminds us of the complex ways in which individual bodies can become symbols of national identity and aspiration.