Narrator: Unique Forms of Continuity in Space is a bronze sculpture made by the Italian artist Umberto Boccioni in 1913. It measures 44 inches high, 35 inches wide, and 16 inches deep. In metric units, the work is 111 centimeters high, 89 centimeters wide, and 40 centimeters deep.
This smooth, polished bronze sculpture depicts an abstracted human figure in motion, with their right foot charging ahead. The surface appears to be a bright gold color that reflects light. The sculpture measures four feet high, but it is displayed on a 3-foot-tall white pedestal, giving the figure a towering presence. You can move around the pedestal to experience the work from multiple perspectives.
Let’s start at the top of the sculpture. The figure appears to be wearing a hood and a cross shape is fused to the front of their head in place of facial features. Their torso is muscular with a broad chest and bulbous shoulders leaning forward at a diagonal. While the figure has no arms, their upper body is supported by hefty thighs and strong calves. Their right leg strides forward valiantly as their left leg extends two feet behind. Each leg is mounted on a rectangular block of bronze a little larger than a brick. The figure’s stance gives the impression that they are striding forward with speed, power, and intention.
Imagine touching this sculpture: you would encounter a range of different contours, including sharp edges, smooth curves, and flat planes—all cool to the touch. Ripples of bronze sweep backwards from the legs, like folds of cloth flapping in a strong breeze. The solid, sloped areas of the hood, shoulders, and thighs create a sense of strength and heaviness. With these contrasting shapes and surfaces, the figure’s body appears to have been transformed by their own speed.
Umberto Boccioni belonged to a group of Italian artists and poets known as the Futurists. Working in the years just before World War I, they celebrated new technologies and modernization while advocating for a violent and decisive break from the past. The Futurists often portrayed humans, machines, and vehicles in motion—using fragmented forms and surfaces that evoke the energy and dynamism of urban life in the early 20th century.
We invite you to take the pose of this figure to gain further insight into the work. If standing, take a large step forward with your right leg and bend your knee, while your left leg extends behind you. Press your head and chest forward. If seated, try sitting upright with your chest puffed up, neck elongated, chin lifted, and gaze forward.