Inspirations ~ Charles Rennie Mackintosh

After just having watched an excellent programme about Art Nouveau, I thought it was time I wrote about one of my favourite art nouveau artists.

Photo taken by Annan 1893

Charles Rennie Mackintosh was born in 1868 in Glasgow. From a young age he was artistic, going to a private school for artisan-class children and enrolling at School of Art evening classes.

He started work in his mid teens, as an architect and soon transformed himself into a designer and artist as well.

Art Nouveau was inspired by natural forms and structures and Mackintosh used flowers and flowing lines to great effect.

In 1897, Mackintosh's entry to design a new Glasgow School of Art won. The governors though, only had money for half of the building so it was this half-building which opened in 1899. Mackintosh re-designed the western end which was completed a decade after.

While on a weekend trip to Glasgow, I visited the School of Art. They give guided tours. I remember the guide pointing out the niches on either side of each set of wooden doors. Mackintosh's idea had been that these niches would house a single rose in a vase every day of the year. Unfortunately, the romantic idea didn't extend to practicalities - the school couldn't afford to replenish roses every few days!

 I also visited the House for an Art Lover just outside Glasgow. In 1901 Mackintosh, along with his wife Margaret, entered a competition to design a 'Grand residence for an art lover'. Unfortunately, the entry was disqualified due to being incomplete. The required drawings were completed and the design was given a special purchase prize which meant, along with the second and third prizes, they were circulated around Europe.

It is thought that if the submission had been complete, that the Mackintoshes would have won.

In 1987 Glasgow civil engineer Graham Roxburgh came up with the idea of building the House for an Art Lover from the competition drawings.



This dream became a reality in 1990 when building began, although recession in the early nineties forced a temporary halt. A parallel with the building of the School of Art a hundred years previously. The School of Art was responsible for getting the new project moving again.

What I love about Mackintosh's work are the clean, simple flowing lines. I love stained glass, and his designs seem to be so versatile. You could transfer one of his stencil designs to a stained glass window, or a patchwork cushion. I love the jewel like colours and the way he designs using the natural shapes from nature alongside more geometric straight lines.

I was interested to learn that Mackintosh, in his later years, abandoned architecture and concentrated on developing his watercolours. In his 50's, he and Margaret went to the French-Spanish border for a long holiday. Mackintosh produced over 40 landscapes which, although completely different from his design work, still have a stylised quality. Natural forms are broken up into geometric shapes - reminiscent of the architect rather than the flowing art nouveau designer I think.

Rue due Soleil

The Rock

For more information on Charles Rennie Mackintosh please visit the website.

All photographs taken by Gillian Cross and information sourced from "Charles Rennie Mackintosh" by Colin Baxter & John McKean and The House for an Art Lover website.

Thank you for taking the time to read this post.