Study for "The Riot"

Study for "The Riot" is a dynamic preparatory drawing executed by Umberto Boccioni in 1910. Created using graphite on paper, this work is a foundational example of the artist's engagement with the burgeoning principles of Italian Futurism. At this pivotal moment, Boccioni was moving away from earlier Divisionist tendencies toward a style that celebrated the simultaneity of action and the chaotic energy inherent in the modern metropolis. The study, classified as a drawing, precedes the major painting and focuses intently on the volatile subject of public unrest and crowded social events.

The composition showcases Boccioni's early attempts to represent movement through complex overlapping forms and directional lines, creating a sense of psychological pressure and physical momentum. While rendered in the meticulous, controlled nature of graphite, the piece conveys the force of a mass gathering. Boccioni utilizes rapid, angular strokes to suggest the blurring and speed of the figures involved in the commotion, a technique he would refine dramatically in his later oil paintings.

This significant drawing is part of the distinguished collection at the Metropolitan Museum of Art, providing crucial insight into the developmental process of a major Futurist theme. This preparatory work laid the groundwork for the more explosive composition of the finished painting, The Riot. Although the original is conserved, high-quality prints and reproductions of the artist’s work often enter the public domain, allowing broader access to this key Futurist piece.