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How does Umberto Boccioni’s The City Rises represent movement and dynamism?

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Umberto Boccioni: Unique Forms of Continuity in Space — Futurism *Unique Forms of Continuity in Space*, bronze sculpture by Umberto Boccioni, 1913; in the Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York City.

In The City Rises (1910–11), Umberto Boccioni captures the essence of Futurism by emphasizing the vitality and restlessness of modern life through a dynamic composition.12

The painting represents movement and speed primarily through the use of repetitively fragmented human figures within its crowd scenes. By breaking these forms into multiple, overlapping segments, Boccioni creates a visual sense of motion that suggests rapid activity. Furthermore, the work conveys a powerful sense of rhythm and energy; the figures generate a raw, muscular intensity that serves as a hallmark of the artist's approach to depicting the dynamism of the urban environment.2

Unlike some other works of the movement that focus on the machine, the energy in The City Rises is rooted in the physical, rhythmic movement of the crowd, illustrating the Futurist goal of celebrating change and innovation in society.12