Italian artist Umberto Boccioni, through his oil on canvas painting, “The Mother,” pays homage to his mother. The piece is part of Boccioni’s work featuring his mother as a subject, including other works like the imposing Materia. Completed in 1909, the painting captures the dynamism of modern life as well as its many colors.
Boccioni was an influential painter and sculptor whose work contributed to Futurism in art. “The Mother” is an excellent example of the style that he theorized and defended in manifestos during his time. His approach to form’s dynamism and solid mass deconstruction guided artists long after his death.
Although the artist passed away young, his contribution had far-reaching effects on art history. With focused brushstrokes depicting dynamic movement amid a dynamic modern world, “The Mother” stands out as a compelling tribute to maternal influence throughout Italian society’s rapid transition into modernity.