In July Mackintosh and Margaret Macdonald spent a holiday in Dorset re-visiting many of the place he had visited in 1895. 'In 'The Village' and 'The Downs' Mackintosh makes his first conscious moves towards his mature style of the Port Vendres period. He is obviously concerned with the pattern of the landscape, picking out features like the stepped hillside, the stone walls, paths and roofs of village houses. These ordinary motifs are given an eerie emphasis by being painted in an equally detailed manner whether they are in the foreground of the the distance... it was probably at this time... that he decided to concentrate more and more on painting. By 1923 he had decided to forsake architecture and design and devote the rest of his life to producing watercolours.' (Roger Billcliffe).
From The Magazine, Spring 1896. Inscribed: The Tree of Personal Effort, The Sun of Indifference, Charles Rennie Mackintosh, January 1895.' The exact meaning of the symbolism of this work, and its companion, 'The Tree of Influence' has eluded all commentators on Mackintosh's early water-colours. The obvious source of the symbolism is nature, and Mackintosh here reaches his most extreme distortion of organic forms.' (Roger Billcliffe).
'As in 'The Village' there are no figures in this view of the Dorset countryside. This absolute lack of human activity gives Mackintosh's pictures an air of eerie, even surreal, desertion. They are formal landscapes... the most dominant feature in this work is the tall telegraph pole, a formal and unnatural element in this gentle Dorset landscape.' (Roger Billcliffe).
Appears in The Magazine, April 1894. 'The central figure is based upon that used in the 1893 design for a diploma for the GSA and like that in 'The Harvest Moon', has wings like an angel. Here, however, she appears naked and her outstretched arms and hair merge and are transformed into barren tree-like forms. These descend to the horizon behind which the sun is gradually disappearing under the feet of the winged figure. From the bottom of the picture, and directly beneath the sun, rises a flight of menacing birds. They are presumably nocturnal birds of prey and they seem to be flying directly towards the viewers. This is one of Mackintosh's earliest uses of this strange bird, which was to become more stylised and to appear in many different forms, in several media in his oeuvre.' (Roger Billcliffe).
This teapot lid is paired with teapot NMC/0233R and forms part of a painted china tea service. Orange lustre-glaze over flower paintings on white china blank.
This teapot forms part of a painted china tea service, and is paired with NMC/0233L . Orange lustre-glaze, and flower paintings on a white china blank. Initialled by the artist on the base.
Blue and white linen with applique. Stitched inscription: "A McG". Possibly a student of Ann Macbeth. This item was damaged in the fire in GSA's Mackintosh Building on 23rd May 2014. Textile conservation was completed in 2019.
Designed for Miss Cranston's Ingram Street Tea rooms, Glasgow. The Ingram Street Tea Rooms were purchased by Glasgow Corporation in 1951 for £25,000 and were then rented out as various shops and warehouses.
This tea plate forms part of a painted china tea service. Orange lustre-glaze, and flower paintings on a white china blank. Initialled by the artist on the reverse.
This tea plate forms part of a painted china tea service. Orange lustre-glaze, and flower paintings on a white china blank. Initialled by the artist on the reverse.
This tea plate forms part of a painted china tea service. Orange lustre-glaze, and flower paintings on a white china blank. Initialled by the artist on the reverse.
This tea plate forms part of a painted china tea service. Orange lustre-glaze, and flower paintings on a white china blank. Initialled by the artist on the reverse.
This tea plate forms part of a painted china tea service. Orange lustre-glaze, and flower paintings on a white china blank. Initialled by the artist on the reverse.
Designed for Miss Cranston's Ingram Street Tea rooms, Glasgow. The Ingram Street Tea Rooms were purchased by Glasgow Corporation in 1951 for £25,000 and were then rented out as various shops and warehouses.
Designed for Miss Cranston's Ingram Street Tea rooms, Glasgow. The Ingram Street Tea Rooms were purchased by Glasgow Corporation in 1951 for £25,000 and were then rented out as various shops and warehouses.
White linen and embroidery possibly made by Daisy McGlashan. The design and technique show the influence of Jessie Newbery's teaching. The table runner has the number "1911" printed on one edge in ink which could refer to the year it was made. This item was damaged in the fire in GSA's Mackintosh Building on 23rd May 2014. Textile conservation was completed in 2019.
This item was lost in the fire in The Mackintosh Building at The Glasgow School of Art on 23rd May 2014. This item was assessed for conservation in 2010 as part of the Mackintosh Conservation and Access Project (2006-2010). One of nine readers' tables for the Library at Glasgow School of Art. Like the vertical stretchers on the periodical desk, MC/F/73, none of the patterns on the legs (variations on these themes of the gallery pendants) are repeated.
This item was lost in the fire in The Mackintosh Building at The Glasgow School of Art on 23rd May 2014. This item was assessed for conservation in 2010 as part of the Mackintosh Conservation and Access Project (2006-2010). One of nine readers' tables for the Library at Glasgow School of Art. Like the vertical stretchers on the periodical desk, MC/F/73, none of the patterns on the legs (variations on these themes of the gallery pendants) are repeated.
This item was lost in the fire in The Mackintosh Building at The Glasgow School of Art on 23rd May 2014. This item was assessed for conservation in 2010 as part of the Mackintosh Conservation and Access Project (2006-2010). One of nine readers' tables for the Library at Glasgow School of Art. Like the vertical stretchers on the periodical desk, MC/F/73, none of the patterns on the legs (variations on these themes of the gallery pendants) are repeated.
This item was lost in the fire in The Mackintosh Building at The Glasgow School of Art on 23rd May 2014. This item was assessed for conservation in 2010 as part of the Mackintosh Conservation and Access Project (2006-2010). One of nine readers' tables for the Library at Glasgow School of Art. Like the vertical stretchers on the periodical desk, MC/F/73, none of the patterns on the legs (variations on these themes of the gallery pendants) are repeated.
This item was lost in the fire in The Mackintosh Building at The Glasgow School of Art on 23rd May 2014. This item was assessed for conservation in 2010 as part of the Mackintosh Conservation and Access Project (2006-2010). One of nine readers' tables for the Library at Glasgow School of Art. Like the vertical stretchers on the periodical desk, MC/F/73, none of the patterns on the legs (variations on these themes of the gallery pendants) are repeated.
This item was lost in the fire in The Mackintosh Building at The Glasgow School of Art on 23rd May 2014. This item was assessed for conservation in 2010 as part of the Mackintosh Conservation and Access Project (2006-2010). One of nine readers' tables for the Library at Glasgow School of Art. Like the vertical stretchers on the periodical desk, MC/F/73, none of the patterns on the legs (variations on these themes of the gallery pendants) are repeated.
This item was lost in the fire in The Mackintosh Building at The Glasgow School of Art on 23rd May 2014. This item was assessed for conservation in 2010 as part of the Mackintosh Conservation and Access Project (2006-2010). One of nine readers' tables for the Library at Glasgow School of Art. Like the vertical stretchers on the periodical desk, MC/F/73, none of the patterns on the legs (variations on these themes of the gallery pendants) are repeated.
This item was lost in the fire in The Mackintosh Building at The Glasgow School of Art on 23rd May 2014. This item was assessed for conservation in 2010 as part of the Mackintosh Conservation and Access Project (2006-2010). One of nine readers' tables for the Library at Glasgow School of Art. Like the vertical stretchers on the periodical desk, MC/F/73, none of the patterns on the legs (variations on these themes of the gallery pendants) are repeated.
This item was lost in the fire in The Mackintosh Building at The Glasgow School of Art on 23rd May 2014. This item was assessed for conservation in 2010 as part of the Mackintosh Conservation and Access Project (2006-2010). One of nine readers' tables for the Library at Glasgow School of Art. Like the vertical stretchers on the periodical desk, MC/F/73, none of the patterns on the legs (variations on these themes of the gallery pendants) are repeated.
Designed for Director's Room, Glasgow School of Art. 'This large table may well have been designed for meetings of the Board of Governors, who rarely used the original Board Room which was eventually taken over as a studio. It was designed with two high backed armchairs and twelve low backed armchairs and was photographed in 1910 in the new Board Room which Mackintosh had provided for the Governors, and not in the Director's Room for which it was designed. The square is again the dominant motif in this group of designs. The table legs are square, but they are hollow, and square cut outs in them indicate the construction.' (Roger Billcliffe). This item was assessed for conservation in 2010 as part of the Mackintosh Conservation and Access Project (2006-2010).
This item was lost in the fire in The Mackintosh Building at The Glasgow School of Art on 23rd May 2014. Designed for the Room de Luxe, Willow Tea Rooms, Glasgow. Contemporary photos of the Willow Tea Rooms do not show where these tables would have been placed, the edge of one seems to be visible between the bow windows, but the legs are identical to those on the square or oblong tables for the Room de Luxe. Probably while the tables belonged to the Grosvenor Restaurant, they were over-painted black (like the yellow couch from the Dug-Out, MC/F/84). In 1986 the black paint was removed and the tables repainted silver with an aluminium paint similar to the original (paint sample analysed by Kelvingrove conservators). At the same time missing glass insets were replaced. This item was assessed for conservation in 2010 as part of the Mackintosh Conservation and Access Project (2006-2010).
This item was lost in the fire in The Mackintosh Building at The Glasgow School of Art on 23rd May 2014. Designed for the Room de Luxe, Willow Tea Rooms, Glasgow. Contemporary photos of the Willow Tea Rooms do not show where these tables would have been placed, the edge of one seems to be visible between the bow windows, but the legs are identical to those on the square or oblong tables for the Room de Luxe. Probably while the tables belonged to the Grosvenor Restaurant, they were over-painted black (like the yellow couch from the Dug-Out, MC/F/84). In 1986 the black paint was removed and the tables repainted silver with an aluminium paint similar to the original (paint sample analysed by Kelvingrove conservators). At the same time missing glass insets were replaced. This item was assessed for conservation in 2010 as part of the Mackintosh Conservation and Access Project (2006-2010).
Designed for use in Mackintosh's own flat in Mains Street, Glasgow. This item was assessed for conservation in 2010 as part of the Mackintosh Conservation and Access Project (2006-2010).
One sugar bowl lid, paired with sugar bowl NMC/0233T. Orange lustre-glaze, and flower paintings on a white china blank. Initialled by the artist on the reverse.
This sugar bowl forms part of a painted china tea service, and is paired with NMC/0233S. Orange lustre-glaze, and flower paintings on a white china blank. Initialled by the artist on the base.
