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Marinetti (F. T. and Benedetta Cappa) papers
920092
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Table of contents
Contributing Institution:
Special Collections
Title: F.T. Marinetti and Benedetta Cappa Marinetti papers
Creator:
Marinetti, F. T., 1876-1944
Creator:
Marinetti Cappa, Benedetta, 1897-1977
Identifier/Call Number: 920092
Physical Description:
60 Linear Feet
(145 boxes, 5 flat file folders)
Date (inclusive): 1902-1965 (bulk 1920-1939)
Date (bulk): 1920-1939
Abstract: The founder and leader of the futurist movement. Married Benedetta Cappa, a futurist writer and artist, in 1923. Collection
includes minor manifesto manuscripts, generally typewritten, sometimes translated or excerpted; a number of minor literary
manuscripts; and 20,000 slides that reproduce the contents of Marinetti's five scrapbooks. Material on Benedetta includes
handwritten corrected drafts of her three novels, and a number of essays and speeches. Some correspondence suggests the central
role that Marinetti and Benedetta played relative to the other futurists, whose activities the collection selectively documents
via manuscripts, photos, clippings, slides, posters, scrapbooks, and musical scores
Physical Location: Request access to the physical materials described in this inventory through the
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Language of Material: Italian
Scope and Content of Collection
This archive of Filippo Tommaso Marinetti and Benedetta Cappa Marinetti papers consists primarily of material from the 1920s
and 30s, though correspondence and newspaper clippings date from before and after those decades. It offers a view of FTM in
the ceremonial rather than incendiary role that he played during Futurism's second phase. Pieces such as "Ritratti futuristi
del Duce" suggest the extent to which he served as a propagandist for the Fascist government and adapted the tenets of Futurism
to that purpose. There are a number of minor manuscripts on art and Futurist artists, generally typewritten, occasionally
with corrections, and some minor literary manuscripts as well.
The material on Benedetta includes handwritten corrected drafts of her three novels and a number of essays, speeches and
notes on women and art, women and Fascism, Futurism, and FTM. Benedetta's letters to her brother, Alberto Cappa, and to FTM
at the Russian Front, offer an intimate view of this woman who, as clippings in her Librone document, was presented in the
1930s Italian press as a role model for Italian women. Her correspondence with fellow Futurists and with American collectors
and institutions after FTM's death show her active role in preserving the accomplishments of Futurism for posterity.
Various media comprise the archive, including manuscripts, photos, clippings, slides, posters, scrapbooks, and scores. Through
all these media in combination the archive selectively documents the activities of the inner circle of the Futurist movement.
The Archive is organized in nine series:
Series I: Manuscripts and Correspondence of Filippo Tommaso Marinetti;
Series II: Manuscripts and Correspondence of Benedetta Cappa Marinetti;
Series III: Assorted Manuscripts and Correspondence;
Series IV: Futurist music;
Series V: Newspaper clippings;
Series VI: Lantern slides;
Series VII: Photographs;
Series VIII: Libroni;
Series IX: Posters and oversized items.
Filippo Tommaso Marinetti, born in Alexandria in 1876, attended secondary school and university in France, where he began
his literary career. After gaining some success as a poet, he founded and edited the journal
Poesia (1905), a forum in which the theories of Futurism rather quickly evolved. With "Fondazione e Manifesto del Futurismo," published
in
Le Figaro (1909), Marinetti launched what was arguably the first 20th c. avant-garde movement, anticipating many of the issues of Dada
and Surrealism. Like other avant-garde movements, Futurism took the momentous developments in science and industry as signaling
a new historical era, demanding correspondingly innovative art forms and language. Like other avant-garde movements, Futurism
found a solution in collage, which Marinetti called "parole in libertà" when applied to literary forms. Between 1909 and 1920,
the period known as Futurism's heroic phase, Marinetti energetically promoted his own work, and that of fellow Futurists,
through numerous manifestos, speeches, essays, meetings, performances and publications. Following WWI, in which he served,
Marinetti became an active member of the Fascist party; on April 15, 1919, he and Ferruccio Vecchi led the "battle" of piazza
Mercanti against socialists, communists, and anarchists, which was Italian Fascism's first decisive victory. In 1929 he was
elected to the Academy of Italy. Throughout the 1920s and 30s and until his death in 1944, Marinetti sought to reconcile the
theories of Futurism with the ideology of state Fascism and to serve as impresario for both.
In 1923, Marinetti married Benedetta Cappa. The author of three critically acclaimed Futurist novels, a sizable body of art
work, and the mother (with Marinetti) of three girls, Benedetta wrote essays and gave speeches on women and art and women
and Fascism, and was presented in the press during the 1930s as a role model for Italian women. After her husband's death,
Benedetta continued to correspond with fellow Futurists and to promote Futurism by organizing exhibitions, selling the Marinetti
art collection to prominent American collectors and museums, and writing catalog essays.
Polemica Carducciana by Ettore Romagnoli (Item #165), is catalogued in the Getty Research Library's general collection.
The papers were quickly assembled for scholarly perusal using the dealer's box guide. Brent Sverdloff wrote temporary a RLIN
record and began writing a Finding Aid. Annette Leddy and Jeremy Parzen processed the papers in late 1994. Annette Leddy,
with the help of Jeremy Parzen, wrote the current Finding Aid, integrating some of Visiting Scholar Esther Cohn's comments
written on the dealer's box guide.
Acquired in 1992.
Papers of F.T. Marinetti and Benedetta Cappa Marinetti, 1902-1965 (bulk 1920-1939), Getty Research Institute, Research Library,
Accession no. 920092.
http://hdl.handle.net/10020/cifa920092
Open for use by qualified researchers.
Contact
Library Reproductions and Permissions .
Subjects and Indexing Terms
Photographic prints -- 20th century
Posters -- 20th century
Scores -- 20th century
Scrapbooks -- 20th century
Slides (photographs) -- 20th century
Fascism and literature -- Italy
Fascism and art -- Italy
Fascism in art
Photographs, Original
Fascism and women -- Italy
Italian literature -- 20th century
Clippings -- 20th century
Manifestoes -- 20th century
Art, Italian -- 20th century
Futurism (Literary movement)
Futurism (Art)
Futurism (Art) -- Collectors and collecting
Futurism (Art) -- Exhibitions
Futurism (Music)
Amendola Kühn, Eva, 1880-
Boccioni, Umberto, 1882-1916
Balla, Giacomo, 1871-1958
Campanini, Gustavo, 1879-1962
Brizzi, Carlo, -1903
Cappa, Alberto
Cangiullo, Francesco, 1888-1977
Marinetti, F. T., 1876-1944
Mascagni, Pietro, 1863-1945
Masnata, Pino
Mix, Silvio, 1900-1927
Mussolini, Benito, 1883-1945
Prampolini, Enrico, 1894-1956
Cappa, Amalia
Pratella, Francesco Balilla, 1880-1955
Casavola, Franco, 1891-1955
Sciorilli, Eros
Severini, Gino, 1883-1966
Chio, Ada
Tato
Cioffi, Giuseppe, 1901-1976
Windisch, Käthe
Farfa, 1879-1964
Giuntini, Aldo
Marinetti Cappa, Benedetta, 1897-1977