Carrà’s works represent an essential heritage today for the history of art in the XX century. Following an initial stage (1900-1905) made of dark painting, a typical sign of 800’s drawing. Here the influence of Divisionism, a current from impressionism, can be seen. In 1910 Carrà adheres to the futurist movement and signs manifestos with Balla, Marinetti, Boccioni, Russolo and Severini

Carrà’s difference compared to the others lies in the collage: the futurist intervenes pictorially on the painted paper, the cubist makes the collage using paper just as a decorative object. Carrà on the other hand, unites both techniques, using a language distinguished by a de-composition of the figure and the landscape, and by using typical futurist writing, such as Marinetti’s “libertà” word.

In 1915, Carrà removes himself from Futurism, ponders that art holds something more, “spirituality”, and proceeds through to the stage known as “Carrà’s metaphysics”. In 1916 he creates ghis first metaphysical paintings. Initially he worked with De Chirico trying to capture objects’ “internal image”. “If we are sensitive to depicted beauty – Carrà commented -, perchance upon seeing a work by Giotto we might feel the desire to caress, with our hand, the beauty of the material that shapes the painting …and we might notice that this painting is at the same time spiritual matter”.

Carrà refines his language until he attains his own, distinguished by the exploration of the mystery in common objects, as can be seen in the “Natura morta nella squadra”, in deserted beaches, in “Caduta del giorno nel lago”, and some drawings of his such as “Crazy painter”: where there is a headless figure.

Between 1921 and 1926 Carrà starts the “Plastic value” stage, a name deriving from the magazine he writes for with a group of artists removed from Futurism. It is the return of plastic value in the figure’s totality, with the use of colour throughout all space in an enveloping atmosphere, as can be observed in that period’s paintings. Thus Carrà will be a step away from Magical Realism with his painting – which he will reach in 1926 -, a period that created works like: “The Swimmers”.

Carrà indicates still life as a painter’s most adequate field for experience: he describes in his “Sounds and Smells” how an artist mustn’t just paint reality, sounds, noises and smells in his or her work.