The Street Enters the House 1911

Umberto Boccioni made "The Street Enters the House," sometime before his death in 1916, probably with oils on canvas. The colors are bright, broken, like shards of glass, and the brushstrokes are short and stabbing, giving the whole scene a kind of restless energy. Looking closely, you can see how Boccioni uses the physicality of the paint to create a sense of depth and movement. The thick impasto in the foreground contrasts with the thinner washes of color in the background, pushing and pulling your eye through the composition. Take a look at the figure in the window – her form dissolves into the surrounding architecture, as if she's becoming one with the city itself. Boccioni was part of the Futurist movement, and like his contemporary Giacomo Balla, he was obsessed with capturing the dynamism of modern life. You might see something of the Cubists in this too, but Boccioni brings a distinctly Italian flavor to his work. It's all about speed, noise, and the exhilarating chaos of the urban environment.