The artwork, titled “Street Light” by Giacomo Balla, hails from 1909 in Italy and exemplifies the Futurism movement. Rendered in oil on canvas, it measures 174.7 x 114.7 cm and falls within the cityscape genre. This significant piece is currently housed at the Museum of Modern Art (MoMA) in New York City, NY, US.
The artwork portrays an effulgent street light as its central focus, emitting radiant light in an intricate web of dynamic, angular strokes. These lines, employing a vivid palette of yellows, oranges, greens, and blues, radiate outward from the central source, creating an almost hypnotic, pulsing effect. The structured chaos of the composition epitomizes the Futurist fascination with speed, technology, and the energetic essence of modern urban existence. Balla’s meticulous use of color and form not only captures the physical illumination of the street light but also conveys an abstract representation of its energetic radiance, symbolizing progress and the relentless march of modernity.
