Umberto Boccioni was an Italian painter and sculptor, as well as an important theorist of the Futurist movement. Born on 19 October 1882 in Reggio di Calabria, Italy, he became one of the most influential artists of the early twentieth century.

Boccioni took an interest in art from an early age and began his artistic training at the Academy of Fine Arts in Rome. He then moved to Milan to study at the Brera Academy of Fine Arts, where he was influenced by the burgeoning art movements of his time.

He became one of the founding members of the Futurist movement in 1909, along with Carlo Carrà, Luigi Russolo, Giacomo Balla and Gino Severini. Futurism was a revolutionary artistic movement that rejected the artistic traditions of the past and celebrated modernity, speed, technology and the dynamics of urban life.

As a painter, Boccioni became famous for his dynamic and bold works, which captured the energy and movement of modern life. He often used geometric shapes and kinetic lines to express the speed and dynamics of the modern world.

Boccioni was also a talented and innovative sculptor. He developed the concept of "sculpture in motion", seeking to represent movement and speed in his sculptural works using fragmented and angular forms.