Statue unveiled to one of Scotland’s leading artists Charles Rennie Mackintosh

Charles Rennie Mackintosh (7 June 1868 – 10 December 1928) was a Scottish architect, designer, water colourist and artist. This year marks the 150th anniversary of his birth and today, 10 December, the 90th anniversary of his death. To mark this a statue of Charles Rennie Mackintosh has been unveiled in Glasgow, the city of his birth, by Scottish First Minister, Nicola Sturgeon.  The bronze statue, which is 2.8m tall and weighs three tons, was created by sculptor Andy Scott.

Charles Rennie Mackintosh learnt his craft as an architectural apprentice and undertook evening classes at the Glasgow School of Art. He won a number of awards for his work, including the prestigious Alexander Thomson Travelling Studentship. This enabled him to undertake an architectural tour of Italy. He, along with painter and glass artist Margaret MacDonald, Frances MacDonald and Herbert MacNair, known as The Four, were prominent members of the The Glasgow School. This was a circle of influential artists and designers that worked in Glasgow, Scotland in the 1870s until about 1920. Glasgow Style designs and art works were created by teachers, students and graduates of The Glasgow School of Art and The Four were at the core of this movement. The Glasgow Style was noted for its fusion of influences including the Celtic Revival, Japonisme and the Arts and Crafts Movement. They made a major contribution to the international art nouveau movement. Art Nouveau was an international style of art, architecture and applied art, which flourished particularly between 1890 and 1910.