Charles Rennie Mackintosh
by Stuart Robertson, Director - CRM Society
Charles Rennie Mackintosh was born in Glasgow in 1868.
While studying art and design evening classes at Glasgow School of Art with friend and colleague Herbert McNair, he developed an artistic relationship with sisters Margaret and Frances Macdonald.
They became known as ‘The Glasgow Four’ and together were responsible for founding the Glasgow Style.
Mackintosh designed Martyrs' Public School in 1895, and worked on Queen’s Cross Church (1897-1899), now CRM Society headquarters. His architectural masterpiece, Glasgow School of Art, was built in two phases: the East Wing (1897-1899) and the West Wing (1907-1909).
In 1901, and by now married to Margaret, Mackintosh became a partner at Honeyman and Keppie. That same year the Mackintoshes entered a German competition to design a ‘House for an Art Lover’ – later realised in Bellahouston Park in 1996 - thanks to local civil engineer, Graham Roxburgh.
While studying art and design evening classes at Glasgow School of Art with friend and colleague Herbert McNair, he developed an artistic relationship with sisters Margaret and Frances Macdonald.
They became known as ‘The Glasgow Four’ and together were responsible for founding the Glasgow Style.
Mackintosh designed Martyrs' Public School in 1895, and worked on Queen’s Cross Church (1897-1899), now CRM Society headquarters. His architectural masterpiece, Glasgow School of Art, was built in two phases: the East Wing (1897-1899) and the West Wing (1907-1909).
In 1901, and by now married to Margaret, Mackintosh became a partner at Honeyman and Keppie. That same year the Mackintoshes entered a German competition to design a ‘House for an Art Lover’ – later realised in Bellahouston Park in 1996 - thanks to local civil engineer, Graham Roxburgh.
In 1902 Mackintosh was commissioned to design The Hill House for publisher Walter Blackie, while another domestic masterpiece, the principal interiors of 6 Florentine Terrace - the Mackintoshes’ home (1906-1914) - have been reconstructed within the University of Glasgow’s Hunterian Art Gallery.
Kate Cranston was another of Mackintosh’s patrons and between 1897 -1917 he designed, or restyled, rooms in all four of her Glasgow tearooms including the Willow Tea Rooms.
Scotland Street School (1904 - 1907) was one of Mackintosh's last commissions in Glasgow and by 1913 he and Margaret had left for Walberswick where he produced some of his finest watercolours.
They moved to Chelsea in 1915 where Mackintosh designed textile patterns and worked on his last commission, 78 Derngate, Northampton (1916).
The Mackintoshes arrived at Port Vendres, Southern France in 1923 where they lived and painted for 4-years until Mackintosh's health deteriorated and they returned to London, where he died on the 10 December 1928.
Kate Cranston was another of Mackintosh’s patrons and between 1897 -1917 he designed, or restyled, rooms in all four of her Glasgow tearooms including the Willow Tea Rooms.
Scotland Street School (1904 - 1907) was one of Mackintosh's last commissions in Glasgow and by 1913 he and Margaret had left for Walberswick where he produced some of his finest watercolours.
They moved to Chelsea in 1915 where Mackintosh designed textile patterns and worked on his last commission, 78 Derngate, Northampton (1916).
The Mackintoshes arrived at Port Vendres, Southern France in 1923 where they lived and painted for 4-years until Mackintosh's health deteriorated and they returned to London, where he died on the 10 December 1928.