Walter Hunt: The Man Who Invented the Future – A Review of Claudio Castellacci and Anita Romanello's Book

In 1878, Italy had already discovered electric light, well before Las Vegas existed. That autumn, at the Teatro Dal Verme in Milan, a series of electric lighting tests were held. To celebrate modernity, science, and industry, choreographer, dancer, actor, and mime Luigi Manzotti staged an 'electric spectacle' – a tribute to the first incandescent light bulb that Thomas Edison was perfecting in the United States in that same year. Manzotti, who according to contemporary newspapers could be mistaken for a sacristan, a grocer, or a broker – anything but an artist – anticipated tastes and clichés. The article, published on 12 September 2026 by Doppiozero, is a review by Claudio Castellacci and Anita Romanello of a book titled 'Walter Hunt: l'uomo che inventava il futuro' (Walter Hunt: The Man Who Invented the Future). The review explores the historical context of innovation and spectacle in late 19th-century Italy, focusing on the intersection of technology, art, and public entertainment. Walter Hunt, an American inventor, is the subject of the book, though the review's excerpt primarily details Manzotti's electric spectacle and the broader cultural impact of electric light. The piece highlights how Italy embraced technological progress and how artists like Manzotti responded to the wonders of science and industry. The review appears in Doppiozero, an Italian cultural publication.