Charles Rennie Mackintosh

Born in Glasgow, he was apprenticed to an architect, but also attended evening classes in art.

He joined a firm of architects in 1889 and developed his own style: a contrast between strong right angles and decorative motifs with subtle curves, e.g. the Mackintosh Rose motif, along with some references to traditional Scottish architecture.

Amongst his architectural works are:

• Hill House, Helensburgh (National Trust for Scotland)
• House for an Art Lover, Glasgor
• Glasgow School of Art
• The Mackintosh House (Hunterian Art Gallery, Glasgow)
• Queen's Cross church, Glasgow
• Ruchill Church Hall, Glasgow
• Holy Trinity Church, Bridge of Allan, Stirling
• Scotland Street School, Glasgow
• The Willow Rooms, also known as Miss Cranston's Tearooms
• Glasgow Art Gallery and Museum, Glasgow
• Craigie Hall, Glasgow
• Martyrs' Public School
• The Royal Highland Fusiliers Museum, Glasgow
• Daily Record offices, Glasgow
• Glasgow Herald offices

He also became a famous designer in interior design, furniture, textiles and metalwork. His work was shown at the Vienna Secession Exhibition in 1900.

Towards the end of his life, he became a painter of watercolours, his well-known studies of flowers dating from the years he spent at Walberswick in Suffolk from 1914.

He was married to Margaret MacDonald, a Scottish illustrator whom he had met at the Glasgow School of Art. They worked together on some of his later watercolours.

The Charles Rennie Mackintosh Society tries to encourage a greater awareness of the work of Mackintosh as an important architect, artist and designer.

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