Enrico Prampolini, Sketch for the cover of "Il poema dei Sansepolcristi" di F. T. Marinetti, c. 1939

The collaboration between Filippo Tommaso Marinetti and Tullio d’Albisola resulted in the two famous “litolatte” (1932 and 1934), considered among the most representative examples of Futurist poetry and among the most cherushed works of twentieth-century Italian literature. These were poetic works, richly illustrated and printed on tinplate sheets, lithographed in color.

In 1939, a third litolatta was planned, ‘Il poema dei Sansepolcristi’ by Filippo Tommaso Marinetti, intended to be printed at the Vincenzo Nosenzo factory in Zinola, the same industry that had produced the previous two editions. However, the project was never realized due to lack of funds: the only surviving trace is an iconic cover design by Enrico Prampolini, one of the leading figures of the Futurist movement at the time.

ENRICO PRAMPOLINI

(Modena, 1894 - Rome, 1956)

Sketch for the cover of  "Il poema dei Sansepolcristi" di F. T. Marinetti, c. 1939

Pencil and tempera on cardboard, 190 mm x 156 mm