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Why did Marinetti’s Futurist manifesto praise automobiles?
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Futurism
Unique Forms of Continuity in Space, bronze sculpture by Umberto Boccioni, 1913; in the Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York City.
In his 1909 manifesto, Filippo Tommaso Marinetti praised the automobile because he viewed it as a supreme symbol of the modern age’s dynamism, speed, and power.1
By celebrating the machine, Marinetti sought to reject the art and cultural traditions of the past, advocating instead for a new era defined by innovation, originality, and the restless energy of contemporary life. His glorification of the automobile was part of a broader, aggressive effort to inspire change and provoke controversy, reflecting the Futurism movement's core commitment to embracing the technological advancements and rapid transformations of the 20th century.1