Portrait of Charles Rennie Mackintosh from Glasgow Herald, 17th December 1928
Charles Rennie Mackintosh died on Monday 10th December 1928. The obituary, below, appeared in the Glasgow Herald the following Saturday, 15th December. Obituary of Charles Rennie Mackintosh from Glasgow Herald, 15th December 1928
The same edition of the newspaper featured an appreciation of Mackintosh by fellow Glasgow architect, John Jeffrey Waddell, who had specialised in cinema and church buildings. Tribute to Charles Rennie Mackintosh by Mr. J. Jeffrey Waddell from Glasgow Herald, 15th December 1928
Portrait of Charles Rennie Mackintosh in later life
A few days after the publication of the obituary a letter from Mr James Morris was published, suggesting that the "circled end wing walls" at the Glasgow School of Art could be replicated at the development taking place on the other side of Renfrew Street, creating a kind of courtyard.
Letter to the Editor of the Glasgow Herald, 18th December 1928
Drawing of "circled end wing wall" at Glasgow School of Art, referred to by Mr Morris in his letter
In 1933, following the death of Margaret Macdonald Mackintosh, Glasgow businessmen, James Meldrum and William Davidson, organised a Memorial Exhibition of the Mackintoshes' work at the McLellan Galleries in Sauchiehall Street, Glasgow. Mackintosh Memorial Exhibition, McLellan Galleries, 1933
The centenary celebrations for the foundation of Glasgow School of Art took place in December 1940, during World War II. The Glasgow Herald published an appreciation of the architect and the building, giving an insight to the activities of the war-time students.
Excerpt from Glasgow Herald, 16th March 1940
In January 1951, over two decades after Mackintosh's death, the Glasgow Herald published an address by Professor W.J. Smith, Director of Studies at Glasgow School of Architecture, comparing his work with that of Alexander Thomson and J.J. Burnet, coming to the conclusion that Mackintosh was the "first of the great modernists". Excerpt from Glasgow Herald, 25th January 1951
It is not accurate as to the place of death and the age of Mackintosh, but it does give an insight into the contemporary view of his talents, which seem to have been greatly appreciated.
Reading Waddell's tribute, Mackintosh would appear not quite to have been the forgotten man of popular myth but a "brilliant architectural genius".
Surprisingly Waddell was of the opinion that neither of the two great Glasgow achitects, Alexander Thomson or Charles Rennie Mackintosh, "had a building quite worthy of their abilities".
It would have created a very interesting space if Mr Morris's suggestion had been taken up.
Meldrum's father, William, who had studied at evening classes alongside Mackintosh owned a major collection of his work, including a trunkful of old records regarding the sale of objects which could be tracked down for inclusion in the exhibition.
The huge chair to the left of the picture, below, was included in the exhibition and has never been traced since.
Professor Smith praised Glasgow for giving Mackintosh "opportunities and practical encouragement by entusting him work". He went on to comment on his continental recognition being confined to art circles. Professor Smith noted that Mackintosh had not worked on any architectural projects in continental Europe where he concluded that clients where "not enlightened like their Glasgow counterparts".
 Rennie Mackintosh - Architect
|
|
|
|
|
All original artwork, photography and text © Gerald Blaikie
Unauthorised reproduction of any image on this website is not permitted.
