Accession Number
1959/2.100

Title
Uomo in movimento

Artist(s)
Mino Rosso

Artist Nationality
Italian (culture or style)

Object Creation Date
1934

Medium & Support
bronze with wood base

Dimensions
29 1/8 in x 12 5/8 in x 9 9/16 in (73.98 cm x 32.07 cm x 24.29 cm);25 9/16 in x 12 5/8 in x 6 11/16 in (64.93 cm x 32.07 cm x 16.99 cm);3 9/16 in x 11 13/16 in x 9 9/16 in (9.05 cm x 30 cm x 24.29 cm)

Credit Line
Gift of Mr. and Mrs. Harry L. Winston

Label copy
March 28, 2009
Mino Rosso’s Man in Motion is an investigation of the concept of dynamism, or the inner vitality of the object, foundational to Futurism. The torque of the body and its translation into angular planes and lines of force are meant to convey the experience of simultaneity, temporality, and bodily movement into the static medium of sculpture.
Rosso was associated with Second Futurism. As the name implies, the group was a successor to First Futurism, which burst onto the scene in 1909 with a declaration of its intent to revolutionize art. The Futurists were famous for incendiary statements such as “a motor car is more beautiful than the Winged Victory of Samothrace,” an iconic ancient sculpture. Many members were lost on the battlefields of World War I or to ideological differences as the movement became increasingly associated with Fascism. Once the dust had settled, Filippo Tommaso Marinetti, founder of the original group, revived the Futurist project with new, younger blood, although the movement was never able to shake the stigma of Fascist sympathies.

Subject matter
Typical of art of the Futurists movement, this sculpture engages in a formal investigation of the fourth-dimension (time/movement). Rosso utilized the lessons learned from Cubism to create a dynamic representation of a three-dimensional figure, then adding to that the reflection of the man moving in space. In so doing, he created a sculpture that has both a forward movement to the left as well as a kinetic spiralling spin.

This work was created as part of the so-called "Second Wave" Futurism that continued after the First World War, under the purview of the Italian Fascist State. This piece reflects the Futurist ideals of masculinity – strength, mobility, and stability – which was highly praised by the Regime. With a massive frame, the figure is a representation of strength but, at the same time, also agile and mobile, as a reflection of the dynamism of modernity.

Physical Description
A bronze sculpture of an abstracted male figure in motion. His knees are bent to the right and his arms are tucked along his torso. The strong diagonal lines make him appear to be propelling in movement with great force. Juxtaposing the dark wooden base, there is light patina in the mostly bright bronze.

Primary Object Classification
Sculpture

Primary Object Type
casting

Additional Object Classification(s)
Sculpture

Collection Area
Modern and Contemporary

Rights
If you are interested in using an image for a publication, please visit http://umma.umich.edu/request-image for more information and to fill out the online Image Rights and Reproductions Request Form. Keywords
Futurist
abstraction
fascism
figures (representations)
force
men (male humans)
modern and contemporary art
motion