(Naples, 1884 – Livorno, 1977), a multifaceted, self-taught artist, soon acquired a solid mastery of drawing and composing lyrics and music for Neapolitan songs. In 1906, he published the booklet "Piedigrotta Cangiullo" (Naples, Tipolitografia Elia) and collected in a notebook a series of poems in the vernacular entitled "Verde nuovo" (the document is preserved in the Foundation Archives). In 1910, he read a Futurist manifesto for the first time and was captivated. Having officially joined the movement two years later, he contributed to Futurist magazines and in 1916 published "Piedigrotta. Parole in libertà." He took part in the Synthetic Theater season and between 1921 and 1923 made his most significant contribution to Futurism with the theorization, organization, and management of the "Teatro della sorpresa," conceived together with Marinetti in Naples. The failure of this venture, intended to completely re-establish the paradigms of traditional theater, marked a break with the movement. In 1924, Cangiullo left Futurism. In 1930, he published "Le serate futuriste," followed by many other narrative and poetic works that testify to the beginning of the era of memoirs.
The Francesco Cangiullo Fund is divided into the following sections: Correspondence, which collects letters addressed to Cangiullo from various senders, including Balla, Govoni, Marinetti, Papini, Soffici, Vallecchi, the Marinetti-Cangiullo correspondence, partially in photocopy and a small group of letters from Cangiullo to various recipients including Palazzeschi; Manuscripts, which collects literary texts, film subjects, the notebook of poetic rehearsals “Verde nuovo”, some scores and numerous loose pages of various kinds (memories, stories, essays, articles); Photo Library, which preserves 44 photographs, mostly portraits of Cangiullo as a young man and as a mature man; Press Review, a collection of articles by Cangiullo from 1916 to the early 60s and a series of articles on Cangiullo from different years (from 1950 to 70s); Journals, including the unique issue of “Italian Futurist Art 1909-1929”, edited by Pippo Rizzo; Various, where print proofs, notes, brochures, invitations, book commission coupons, exhibition catalogues by Cangiullo and publications dedicated to him are collected; Library with Cangiullo's works “Serate futuriste”, “Piedigrotta” and “Poesia pentagrammata” and some volumes with dedications by Soffici, Marinetti and Palazzeschi.
