Charge of the Lancers

Umberto Boccioni (1882-1916) was an Italian painter and sculptor who became a main theorist of the artistic movement called Futurism, which originated in Italy in the years preceding World War I. Futurism rejected the past and glorified industrialized modernity with themes such as technology, industry, speed, youth and violence, and objects such as the automobile and airplane. Futurists sought to break through the weight of the past. When World War I broke out in 1914 and spread through Europe, Futurists advocated for Italy to abandon neutrality and enter the fray. Boccioni made his only war-themed work, Charge of the Lancers, in 1915 using tempura and scraps of newspaper to depict the clash of horses and bayonets. Strong geometric shapes and slashing black lines give a sense of chaos, speed, energy, and power. Italy entered the war on the side of the allies in May 1915, and Boccioni and some of his fellow futurists volunteered, joining a bicycle brigade, which was disbanded in December. A few months later, he was called back into service this time joining a field artillery. Ironically, he was thrown from his horse during a cavalry training exercise and was dragged, sustaining severe injuries. He died the next day.