Study for "Mourning" 1910

Umberto Boccioni made this graphite sketch, Study for "Mourning," as preparation for a larger, more realized artwork. As a leading figure in the Italian Futurist movement, Boccioni sought to capture the dynamism of modern life. This sketch provides insight into the artist’s process, a glimpse behind the scenes of artistic production. Italian Futurism was a radical movement. They embraced industrialization and celebrated the energy of the machine age. Futurists wanted to break from the past and create a new, modern art for a new, modern world. But in this study, we can see the artist grappling with a more traditional theme, that of mourning. Understanding the social and institutional context of art requires careful study. Looking at letters, exhibition reviews, and other historical documents can help us understand the artist’s intentions, and the different ways his work was received. Art is never created in a vacuum, it always reflects the social, cultural, and institutional forces of its time.