States of Mind: The Farewells by Umberto Boccioni is a powerful early articulation of Italian Futurism, rendered dynamically in charcoal and conté crayon on paper. This seminal drawing, created in 1911, belongs to a crucial three-part series of works exploring psychic and physical dynamism inherent in modern life. The States of Mind series represents the artist’s groundbreaking attempt to capture the simultaneous emotional and visual experiences tied to velocity and change, specifically the fleeting drama of a train station departure.
Boccioni utilizes the expressive potential of the raw medium to articulate fragmented forms and surging directional lines, evoking the chaos and energy of travelers departing. The aggressive use of charcoal, contrasted with the deep, rich tones of conté crayon, allows the artist to build areas of deep shadow and sudden light. This stark contrast enhances the sensation of rapid dissolution and speed. Unlike the subsequent oil versions of States of Mind: The Farewells, this piece focuses intensely on the linear force field, showing human bodies and mechanical elements dissolving into vectors of movement rather than stable masses. Boccioni sought not simple representation, but the depiction of subjective feeling and the intertwining of memory and present sensation—a core tenet of the Futurist movement he helped define.
This work is fundamental to understanding the Italian cultural shift towards modernism in the 1910s. Boccioni's revolutionary approach to simultaneity directly influenced subsequent avant-garde movements across Europe. His dedication to capturing movement was unparalleled during this time. While many historically significant artworks from this period are entering the public domain, making high-quality prints accessible worldwide, this original 1911 drawing remains a treasured masterpiece, critical for scholarly reference. It is held in the permanent collection of the Museum of Modern Art (MoMA), where it serves as a foundational reference point for the study of abstraction and early twentieth-century art.
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