Ferruccio Busoni 1916

Umberto Boccioni made this painting of Ferruccio Busoni with oil, and probably a whole lot of energy, because the brushwork is so alive. I mean, look at the way he builds up the form with these quick, flickering strokes. It's like he's trying to capture not just what Busoni looks like, but also the feeling of being in his presence. The colors, too, are just buzzing with life. There are so many shades of blue and green, that all vibrate against the warm browns and oranges of Busoni's coat, and the hat he holds in his hand. It’s like Boccioni is trying to capture the atmosphere of the moment. Check out that patch of blue sky behind Busoni's head. The marks here are really animated – not quite Van Gogh, but he is definitely in the room. Boccioni was part of the Futurist movement, so he was all about capturing the dynamism of modern life. You can see that in the way he painted Busoni, like he is a man who is always in motion. It’s a painting that captures a moment in time, but it also feels timeless, like it could have been painted yesterday.