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Charles Rennie Macintosh Research Paper

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Lauren Richards
Melissa Santana
ID 247
Project 1. Part 1b.
Spring 2015
March 8, 2015
Charles Rennie Mackintosh Charles Rennie Mackintosh has been called Scotland’s greatest architect and designer, in addition to being celebrated as one of the most prominent and influential figures in modern design and the art Nouveau period. Mackintosh was an architect, furniture designer, water colorist and ceramicist, and within his wide range of work is a strong element of refined elegance, inspired by nature and blurring the lines between art, craft and design. According to Spencer (2005), “Mackintosh sees nature as a spiritual, creative force and one which is essential to human development” (p.146), working within this philosophy, Mackintosh inspired …show more content…

At the time, Glasgow was a bustling industrial center known for the production of railway engines, carriages, over half of the world’s sea-going ships, and textile manufacturing. Glasgow’s cultural scene was also flourishing due to the involvement of citizens of the community who had made their fortunes in the industrial and commercial development of the city and in turn became supporting patrons of the arts. His father, William was the superintendent of police and an avid gardener, and his mother, Margaret Rennie, is described as being a gentle woman and beloved by her family, it is speculated that there were eleven children in all; however, five or six did not survive past childhood. Mackintosh grew up in a suburb of Glasgow called Dennistoun, where the family had access to a plot of land that William transformed into a lush, vibrant garden the children affectionately called “The Garden of Eden.” In essence, his earliest creative influence would come from this garden, and with his father’s encouragement, Mackintosh began to explore the Scottish countryside, sketching in detail flowers, plants and local buildings. It was through these adventures that Mackintosh formed a deep connection with nature and an intense method of concentrated observation that solidified his desire to become an architect and this connection would continue on with him throughout his entire career and be visible in all of …show more content…

During his time at the Glasgow School of Art, Mackintosh was influenced by the philosophies of Thomas Smith, his architecture professor, Alexander McGibbon, an established draughtsman, and the schools new director, Francis Newberry, an Englishman who accepted the post a year into Mackintosh’s education. Newberry instituted a new curriculum that had a foundation based on drawing and encouraged students to express their creativity freely. This approach was based on the idea that drawing is a direct observation of nature, a representation of apparent reality rather than a dissected analysis of structure. According to Wilhide (1995), “Newberry’s stated aim was ‘to practically supply that which Glasgow at present needs – namely a race of designers for her own creation’” (p.16). This idea struck a chord with Mackintosh as his own personal beliefs ran parallel with this teaching approach and he thrived within the school throughout the rest of his education, winning several prizes for many of his designs. At the age of twenty-one Mackintosh was invited to join the practice of Honeyman and Keppie as a junior draughtsman where he would later become partner. In 1891, Mackintosh took a leave of absence from Honeyman and Keppie to pursue the Alexander Thomson

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