owards the end of the nineteenth
century, Charles Rennie Mackintosh
(1868–1928) challenged the Victorian Era style, then popular in Europe. He would become part of the Art Nou-
veau and Arts and Crafts movements,
and was even included in the Vienna Secession Exhibition of 1900. Born in Glasgow, Scotland, Mackintosh as a child was
solitary. He walked with a limp and had issues with his right eye and he was often teased at school. As a result, he spent
most of his time in the countryside where he developed an interest in art and nature. At the age of fifteen, he enrolled
at the Glasgow School of Art. A year later, he began an ar-
chitectural apprenticeship to train as a draftsman with John
Hutchinson. In 1889, as an experienced draftsman, he joined Honeyman and Keppie, architects. He later went on to de-
sign his own buildings. It was through the Glasgow School
of Art that he and fellow student Herbert MacNair, met the sisters Margaret and Frances MacDonald. The four would
later marry, with Mackintosh marrying Margaret. The Mackintoshes and the MacNairs would later become “The Four”, collaborating to create new artwork. Mackintosh believed
that architecture and art should fuse together. Therefore, he designed his buildings both inside and out, including every
Charles Rennie Mackintosh at the age of 25. Photograph taken by his friend J. Craig Anna, 1892.
aspect of the interior space, from the furniture to the carpet
patterns. Charles Rennie Mackintosh developed his own style: a contrast between strong right angles and floral-inspired
decorative motifs with subtle curves. This included the Mackintosh Rose motif, along with some references to traditional Scottish architecture. This new style made him one of the
most influential designers in European history as he applied his skills to architecture, interior design, and graphic design.
The Glasgow Four with friends at Dunure, 1895. Top: Frances MacDonald; center, left to right: Margaret MacDonald, Kathrine Cameron, Janet Aitken, Agnes Raeburn, Jessie Keppie, John Keppie; foreground, left to right: Herbert McNair, Charles Rennie Mackintosh.
LEFT West fecade of the Glasgow School of Art
As an architect, Mackintosh designed numerous buildings in
his hometown of Glasgow, such as the Scotland Street School and the Queen’s Cross Church. One of the most notable and recognizable buildings he designed is the Glasgow School
of Art. It was through a competition that Mackintosh was able to embark on his greatest architectural masterpiece.
Mackintosh took inspiration from his home country. He
built the school with Scottish baronial architecture characteristics. It was this building that propelled his career and
caused him to be recognized among Britain’s greatest architects. The most well-known part of the school is the library. It is a small room, surrounded by wooden columns. In the
center, there are numerous chandeliers hanging from high above. Unfortunately, it was lost to a fire in May of 2014.
The library was regarded among the best architectural ac-
complishments of the century. There has been some discussion about having the library rebuilt but critics argue that it would be a replica and would no longer be an original.
TOP Inside the Library of the Glasgow School of Art BOTTOM Light fixture inside the Library
Charles Rennie Mackintosh, The Glasgow School of Art, 1897–1909. Built in two phases. Phase One, 1897–99. Phase Two, 1907–09.
The Hill House, which is Mackintosh’s second remarkable building, was built between 1902 and 1903. It is a bour-
geois Edwardian mansion with Scottish baronial architec-
tural features. It stands on a hillside overlooking the Clyde estuary. It was built using local sandstone and rough-cast rendered. In addition to designing the exterior, he de-
signed the interior as well. The inside of the house fea-
tures delicate stencils on the walls, and is very ornamented. Mackintosh also used mostly whites and soft quiet colors to bring elegance to the room. Another notable design of
Mackintosh was the Scotland Street School, which he designed late in his career as an architect. Designed in 1903 and completed in 1906. This would be Mackintosh’s last
complete and major work in Glasgow. He later focused his attention toward designing the interiors of buildings.
TOP LEFT Charles Rennie Mackintosh, Interior of Bedroom, The Hill House, 1902–04. TOP RIGHT Charles Rennie Mackintosh, The Hill House, 1902–04. BOTTOM RIGHT Charles Rennie Mackintosh, Queen’s Cross Church, 1897–99. BOTTOM LEFT Charles Rennie Mackintosh, Scotland Street School, 1903–06.
Mackintosh believed that each room should be decorat-
ed according to its function, that there should be a balance
between “feminine” and “masculine” features. Nevertheless,
certain rooms should have a feminine eminence while other
rooms should have a more masculine quality. Rooms in which were shared among the public; such as dining rooms, should
be intensely lightened and decorative. Such examples include his famous tea rooms. One of those tea rooms is the Ladies’
Luncheon Room of the Ingram Street Tea Rooms, 1900. This room features white walls and stained glass. High above the
room, there is a beaten metal panel by his wife Margaret Mac-
donald, The Dew, and a large gesso panel by Mackintosh called The Wassail. This room was originally built for Kate Cranston, who was a leading figure in the development of tea rooms,
for whom all of the Mackintosh’s tea rooms were designed.
Charles Rennie Mackintosh, The Willow’s Room de Luxe, detail of mirrored panes, 1902–04.
Another medium that Mackintosh practiced was building the furniture he used to compliment his rooms. Although
he had no training in furniture making, he went on to produce several hundred pieces. One example of his remarkable furniture design is the High-Backed Chair, 1898–99. It has a long, high back with an oval decoration on the
top. He believed that having a high back would bring intimacy among the people sitting down at the table.
TOP Charles Rennie Mackintosh, The Ladies’ Luncheon Room, Ingram Street Tea Rooms, as reconstructed by Glasgow Museums, 1992–95. RIGHT Charles Rennie Mackintosh, High-Backed Chair, 1898–99.
Throughout his career, Mackintosh produced very few posters. In fact, there are only around four known lithographic
posters that he did. Each poster was put together from four sections. One of his well-known works is the Poster for the
Scottish Musical Review, 1896. It resembles the Poster for the
Glasgow Institute of Fine Arts, 1896, made by the rest of “The Four” members. Both posters feature idiosyncratic lettering, are rectangular and although they are both considered Art Nouveau, they have Art Deco characteristics as well. This
new style went on to be recognized as the Glasgow Style. Charles Rennie Mackintosh, Design from ‘Poster for the Scottish Musical Review’ c. 1896.
During Mackintosh’s lifetime, he was not considered a re-
nowned artist or architect. He lived a simple and private life.
It was not until the mid-1900s that his work would be recog-
nized. These days, he is considered one of the most influential designers and architects in European history. Many of today’s designers and architects have been inspired by Mackintosh.
One example is the Milton Gate office building in London, designed by Denys Lasdun, Peter Softley and Associates, 1988–90. This building pays tribute to Mackintosh, as it
resembles the Glasgow School of Art’s west facade. There
is also a fashion design company called Toshie Mackintosh
that designs clothing resembling Mackintosh tile motifs. The collection was started by a group of Glasgow School of Art
graduates. Thus, almost ninety years of his death, Charles Rennie Mackintosh continues to have a major influence. He was a pioneer in architecture and design who was ahead of his time.
TOP LEFT Toshie Mackintosh, Mackintosh Tartan - Merino & Cashmere Scarf, 2009. TOP RIGHT Denys Lasdum, Peter Softley and Associates, Milton Gate, Chiswell Street, London, 1988–90. BOTTOM RIGHT One of the tiles from the staircases of The Glasgow School of Art.
LEFT PAGE LEFT Charles Rennie Mackintosh, ‘Poster for the Scottish Musical Review’ 1896. MIDDLE Charles Rennie Mackintosh, ‘Poster for the Glasgow Institute of the Fine Arts’, c. 1895. RIGHT Margaret MacDonald, James Herbert McNair, Frances MacDonald, ‘Poster for the Glasgow Institute of Fine Arts’ 1896.