Cappa was born on 14 August 1897 in Rome, Italy. She became very interested in Futurism while studying under one of the movement's leading figures, Giacomo Balla, in Rome in 1917. She married Filippo Tommaso Marinetti in 1923 and they had three daughters: Vittoria, Ala and Luce. Cappa, now using her married name Benedetta Cappa Marinetti, was the first woman artist to have her work featured in the 1930 Biennale catalog. This was a large-scale art exhibition held every two years. In 1932 she presented seven paintings at the Venice Biennale. She exhibited at the Petit Palais in Paris in 1935 and the national art exhibition in Rome the same year. She was a leading artist in the Futurism movement. 