Charles Rennie Mackintosh and the Glasgow Style at MAACM

Detail from "The May Queen" by Margaret Macdonald (1900) - 

The world is an increasingly ugly place. So when I get the chance to bask in some beauty, I go for it. Visiting "Designing the New: Charles Rennie Mackintosh and the Glasgow Style" at the Museum of the American Arts and Crafts Movement in St. Pete was one such opportunity. The exhibit is full of gorgeous work -- from posters to paintings to furniture -- that transported me to a different time. And then there's the museum itself, which is one of the most stunning buildings I've ever seen. Its features include an atrium that soars five stories and a spiral staircase taking you to 40,000 square feet of gallery space. Taking it all in was a great way to spend an afternoon. 

 

The Glasgow Style falls within the genre of Art Nouveau. (Think Alfonse Mucha and Gustav Klimt.) Its trademarks are heavily stylized elongated figures with the frequent inclusion of botanicals. While Mackintosh is the artist with whom you are most likely familiar, the Glasgow Style was actually developed by "The Four": Mackintosh, James Herbert McNair, and sisters Margaret Macdonald and Frances Macdonald. The group met at the Glasgow School of Art and immediately gravitated to one another both artistically and personally. So much so, in fact, that Mackintosh and Margaret Macdonald married as did McNair and Frances Macdonald.  

The Four worked collaboratively throughout their lives. The Glasgow Institute poster shown here was created jointly by the Macdonald sisters and McNair. Macintosh created the Scottish Musical Review poster. Their work was not always well-received. In fact, the foursome were sometimes referred to as the "Spook School" because their art was considered ghoulish. One critic called the people in their works "human beings drawn on the gas-pipe system." I don't understand what that means, but it doesn't sound complimentary. Beauty is in the eye of the beholder. 

Glasgow Style room 

I had invited Deb to join me at the exhibit for a special event having to do with tea. While the event description did not say this, I somehow expected a civilized hour of sitting at a table sipping a nice Pekoe (pinkies out!) and eating tea sandwiches while someone talked about Art Nouveau. It turned out to be a talk in an auditorium about, well, tea. It was more interesting than you might expect. We learned, for instance, that Glasgow's shipping industry manufactured vessels for Japan back in the day. When Japanese engineers visited the factories, they wanted a good cup of tea. This simple desire for a taste of home was a factor in the growth of tea importation from Japan to Glasgow. 

Tea rooms rose in popularity during the temperance movement. Catherine Cranston opened her first tea room in 1878. Miss Cranston's Tea Rooms became wildly popular and featured rooms ready to accommodate the desires of all guests. There were rooms for ladies only and men only, a dining area for eating together and smoking and billiards rooms for the men. High back chairs like the one shown above created a sense of privacy for diners, a room within a room. The design also helped to turn tables since they weren't particularly comfortable. Cranston is credited as the first tea room operator to provide a restroom for her guests. This innovation made it possible for female guests to stay away from home for longer periods of time. 

Detail from "The May Queen" by Margaret Macdonald (1900)

Of course, Miss Cranston wanted her establishments to be beautiful. Enter artists and designers like The Four. Mackintosh designed not only the furniture and lighting but uniforms for the staff at many of Miss Cranston's establishments. Margaret Macdonald's "The May Queen" graced the wall of the Ladies Luncheon Room at Miss Cranston's Ingram Street Tearoom and is on display in all its glory in the exhibit. The work is comprised of three panels that together are almost 15' wide and 5' tall. The texture is incredible as the work is made of gesso and has elements like ribbon, twine and even mussel shells imbedded in it.  It is truly stunning. To see images of the complete work, along with the companion piece "The Wassail" created by Mackintosh, click here. 

While I've touched on some of the highlights of the exhibit, there's much more to see and enjoy. (And that's without seeing everything else the Museum has on display -- from lighting and jewelry to photographs and woodblock prints.)  But don't take my word for it -- go see the exhibit for yourself if you're in the St. Pete area. Act quickly, though, as "Designing the New: Rennie Mackintosh and the Glasgow Style" runs only through June 5.  For more information, click here.  

Happy exploring!