Mackintosh: Glasgow’s neglected genius - revisited and updated

A month ago today, when the interior of the Glasgow School of Art burned down to the ground on 16 June 2018 (see ANOTHER Major Fire at Rennie Mackintosh's Glasgow School of Art and VIDEO: An Appreciation of Glasgow School of Art), it came in the midst of all sorts of celebrations for the 150th anniversary of Mackintosh's birth.

For example:

• The Willow Tea Room Trust invited a group of guests to preview the restored Willow Tea Rooms Building at 217 Sauchiehall Street following a £10 million restoration - on the 150th anniversary of his birth 7th June 2018
• while two days earlier, the BBC in Scotland had just televised Mackintosh, Glasgow’s Neglected Genius - with Lachlan Goudie - on BBC Two Scotland on Tuesday, 5 June 2018.

The first half of the Mackintosh Building at the Glasgow School of Art
(image from the programme)
....but the third act has still to come....

I watched the programme on iPlayer as I wrote blog posts about the fire - and the first version was an excellent programme.

Following the fire, a decision was made by the BBC to revisit the programme and update it within the context of the fire

‘Mackintosh: Glasgow’s neglected genius has been revisited - including a visit to the burned out shell of the Mackintosh building at the Glasgow School of Art - and filmed the ruins - and then re-edited the programme to take account of the fire.

The film examines Mackintosh's iconic buildings, notably the Glasgow School of Art. Interwoven with his architecture, design and watercolours is the personal story of Mackintosh.

...and so tonight, on BBC4, the revised version is being broadcast this evening at 10pm - and I recommend all Mackintosh fans make a point of watching/recording it. I'll certainly be watching it again.

Take Two - ‘Mackintosh: Glasgow’s neglected genius'

Following last month’s devastating fire we returned to the Glasgow School of Art and filmed the ruins for a re-edited version of ‘Mackintosh: Glasgow’s neglected genius’. Tonight @BBCFOUR 10pm https://t.co/MMxiywHAFj pic.twitter.com/01VOQUz4hP

— Lachlan Goudie (@lachlangoudie) July 16, 2018

Below you can also find out more about:

• Mackintosh 150
• the rebuilding of the Mackintosh Building

Lachlan Goudie on Charles Rennie Mackintosh - on iPlayer

On 5th June 2018, BBC Scotland broadcast a programme on Charles Rennie Mackintosh (1868–1928) - Mackintosh - Glasgow's Neglected Genius.

The three ages of Charles Rennie Mackintosh

This is because 2018 is the 150th anniversary of the birth of the celebrated Glasgow architect, designer and artist - who was born on 7 June 1868.

On 16th June 2018, his iconic 'work of art' - the Mackintosh Building at Glasgow School of Art  - which comprised both the architecture of the building and its internal fixtures and fittings and helped give him an international reputation - was completely gutted in a massive fire (see yesterday post ANOTHER Major Fire at Rennie Mackintosh's Glasgow School of Art)

However, let's not forget that Charles Rennie Mackintosh made a lot of art in his lifetime and most of it is celebrated in this programme.

You can view the programme on BBC iPlayer for the next 18 days.  Below you can find my short summary and review  of what the programme covers.

BBC iPlayer

Lachlan Goudie does a great job of following the life of Charles Rennie Mackintosh from his studies and first job, via

• his serious design commissions in Glasgow 
• for the Art School - in two stages. Near the beginning of the film there is video of the 2014 fire and then of Lachlan visiting the rebuilding of the part of was destroyed in the 2014 fire. It's very poignant to realise that everything you see in the film is now gone. However it includes images of the Library as it was and the studios and the various design features on and within the building

I'd never realised before that the Mackintosh Building at the Glasgow School of Art
was built in two stages - this is a drawing after the first stage

Pics of Glasgow School of Art - now (pre June 2018) and then

• other schools and churches, 
• houses (e.g. Windy Hill and The Hill House) and 
• tea rooms (eg Willow Tea Rooms) while working for the practice of John Honeyman & Keppie (from 1901 Honeyman, Keppie & Mackintosh) during the Mackintosh years 1889 to 1913

• the unique interiors, murals and furniture he created for himself and others. I had not idea how far and wide these were. I was particularly intrigued by his influence on design and interiors on continental Europe

Lachlan Goudie in one of the recreations of a Mackintosh interior - complete with furniture

• his withdrawal from Glasgow after a nervous breakdown - and an unsuccessful start of his own independent practice

• his stay in Walberswick - and his drawing and paintings (with Margaret) of wild flowers - for a German Client (just before the first World War) - such a pity they didn't feature more of these in the programme. You can read more about this period in his life on my web page about 20th century botanical artists and the slim but beautiful volume by Pamela Robertson. See also my 2007 blog post Flowers in Art... and Charles Rennie Mackintosh which comments in detail on his practice when drawing and painting flowers

• to living in the South of France in Collioure and Port-Vendres - you can see his wonderful watercolours of places he visited and painted in The CRM Trail and  Charles Rennie Mackintosh in Rousillon (one of the sign boards features in the BBC film). These are some of my favourite watercolours of all time. The compositions are amazing, while the draughtsmanship is masterful and the colour palettes are true to the place and yet well co-ordinated. However I learned from the programme that Mackintosh wasn't averse to moving some of the features in the landscape if they made for a better painting - and illustrated what had happened in the painting of the watercolour below. For more about these superb watercolours I recommend you read Charles Rennie Mackintosh in France: Landscape Watercolours by Pamela Robertson and Philip Long.

The Fort (1924) by CR Mackintosh

• and finally to living in some poverty in London - where he continued to paint flowers -prior to his death

Part of one of Mackintosh's late paintings of flowers

For those interested in his drawings you can access all his sketchbooks as part of the Hunterian Collections at the University of Glasgow

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Previous blog posts about Charles Rennie Mackintosh

• Flowers in Art... and Charles Rennie Mackintosh (2007)
• I've nominated Charles Rennie Mackintosh for the £20 note

About the 2014 and 2018 Fires

• Major fire at Rennie Mackintosh's Glasgow School of Art
• Ash to Art - over £500k raised for Glasgow School of Art Fire Appeal
• The Mac after the Fire - an Archive, an Appeal and guess WHO!
• ANOTHER Major Fire at Rennie Mackintosh's Glasgow School of Art

I've nominated Charles Rennie Mackintosh for the £20 note

Pinks by Charles Rennie Mackintosh

This is my nomination for the visual artist to appear on the £20 note.  Have you done yours yet?

Glasgow School of Art.
Architect: Charles Rennie Mackintosh

Charles Rennie Mackintosh is an artist whose work spanned the visual arts. He was also a real original! He was hugely creative in the early part of the 20th century as both an architect and a designer – of furniture, metalwork and graphic art. He also drew and painted wonderful watercolours.

Finally the appreciation of this man crosses borders within the UK and beyond. Importantly, he had a notable influence on others in Europe. He also enjoys global recognition for his buildings and designs. He is truly a man valued by others.

I wrote about this last week in Celebrate a visual artist on the next £20 note

Nomination Form

This is the nomination form - which needs to be completed by 19 July 2015.​

You have 100 words to say why your visual artist should be the one to appear on the £20 note.

Visual artists include architects, artists, ceramicists, craftspeople, designers, fashion designers, filmmakers, photographers, printmakers and sculptors.

The Bank will not feature fictional or living characters, with the exception of the Monarch, who appears on the front of our notes.

Unless you nominate your favourite person may not be considered.

• The shortlist will be drawn up by the Advisory Committee from the names of individuals nominated by members of the public.
• The governor will make the final choice from this shortlist 
• Who's going to be on the next £20 will be announced in Spring 2016.

At the end you can see who others think it will be. But first a bit of a wallow in Mackintosh.

Visual Arts by Charles Rennie Macintosh

This is House for an Art Lover which has a fascinating history - starting with Mackintosh being technically disqualified from the art competition that he entered with the design for the house.

A window at Hill House - designed by Charles Rennie Mackintosh

This is the Willow Tea Rooms at 217 Sauchiehall Street - and a design for the tables and chairs

Design for tables and chair with high back, for the Room de Luxe, Willow Tea Rooms, Glasgow, 1903.
Pencil and watercolour on wove paper, by Charles Rennie Mackintosh

The Fort (c.1923-4)
pencil and watercolour on paper mounted on board
watercolour painting by Charles Rennie Mackintosh

Note: All images from Wikimedia Commons

More articles about the £20 Note

• The Telegraph:  Are you worried about the new £20 note? You should be - Beatrix Potter appears to be a front-runner - there again this could be people having a laugh!
• This is The Guardian view on the new £20 note: make room for William Morris They're making a pitch for William Morris - surprise, suprise!
• The Manchester Evening News says Salford artist LS Lowry is frontrunner to be the face on the Bank of England's next £20 banknote
• Unsurprisingly the Royal Photographic Society thinks a photographer should be the next person to be on the £20 note - see Nominate a photography person for a new banknote. They suggest suitable candidates might include William Henry Fox Talbot, the British inventor of photography; Sir Cecil Beaton, photographer and designer or Julia Margaret Cameron, portraitist and art photographer.

I think by now you will have begun to appreciate that there are some very partial opinions out there and doubtless there will be some pretty heavy duty lobbying on behalf of different interest groups!

The Mac after the Fire - an Archive, an Appeal and guess WHO!

News about "what happened next" following the fire at the Mackintosh Building at the Glasgow School of Art (GSA)

• The Macintosh Appeal
• New Trustees are Peter Capaldi and Brad Pitt
• Graduation and Degree Show 2014

The Macintosh Appeal

Last week The Glasgow School of Art formerly launched The Mackintosh Appeal. The aim is to raise something like £20m to allow the GSA to commission the work that needs to be done following the fire in the Mackintosh Building.  (Click the link if you would like to support the appeal via the Big Give)

New Trustees

I am seriously impressed by who the GSA has got to be Trustees of its Appeal!

The GSA confirmed last week that both Peter Capaldi (the new Doctor Who) and Brad Pitt are to lend their support to the Appeal by becoming Trustees.