A Wearable Homage to Scottish “Starchitect” Charles Rennie Mackintosh

In the late 19th century, the Scottish city of Glasgow gained notable influence in the arenas of contemporary architecture and the decorative arts. The so-called Glasgow Style infused the burgeoning visual language of Art Nouveau with typically Scottish aesthetic elements, resulting in fabulous designs for both private homes and public spaces. At the helm of the Glasgow Style was a young architecture apprentice by the name of Charles Rennie Mackintosh who, together with three likeminded friends collectively known as “The Four,” placed his native Glasgow at the vanguard of a remarkable moment in design history.

Guided by the philosophy that art and architecture are intertwined, Mackintosh merged the forms and materials of traditional Scottish architecture with the sinuous lines and organic motifs defining Art Nouveau. 

Translating to “New Art,” Art Nouveau originated in the 1880s, deriving profound influence from nature studies of botanical forms and other organic creatures of the land and sea. Art Nouveau’s “wild” element may be understood as a metaphor for creative freedom—this was a fresh, modern style liberated from the confines of past artistic conventions.

This ideology rang throughout the halls of the prestigious and progressive Glasgow School of Art, where Mackintosh met fellow students Herbert McNair and sisters Margaret and Frances Macdonald. “The Four,” as they became known, envisioned wonderfully whimsical jewelry, paintings, drawings, posters, and more. 

In 1899, Herbert McNair married Frances Macdonald, and the following year, Charles Rennie Mackintosh wed Margaret Macdonald. The latter couple would collaborate on major commissions throughout Scotland, with many of Margaret’s decorative elements inspiring—if not directly featuring in—her husband’s interior designs.

Our Mackintosh Tile Jewelry pays homage to the geometric tilework on a washstand (1904) exemplary of Mackintosh's creative prowess at the height of his career.

Now displayed as part of The Met's Modern and Contemporary Art collection, this striking piece was crafted for a remodeling project for an 18th-century residence called Hous'hill. Located in a suburb of Glasgow, Hous'hill belonged to the proprietress of several popular tearooms in the city, many of which were also furnished with Mackintosh's designs. 

Mackintosh’s legacy includes a building for the Glasgow School of Art (built in two phases between 1897–99 and 1907–09) and Hill House (1902–04), a residence in the Glasgow suburb of Helensburgh. For a time, he was warmly embraced by his Scottish patrons and recognized throughout Europe—particularly in Austria, where he was invited to exhibit at the Vienna Secession—but his style eventually fell out of favor. He relocated to England in search of new opportunities, and to supplement his meager income he pivoted to painting, taking a particular shine to watercolors. 

Though Mackintosh was unable to revive his career, his late-life watercolors in The Met collection reveal his superb talent in the medium, bearing echoes of the Glasgow Style that established him as one of Scotland’s most pioneering designers. 

Shop the new Mackintosh Tile Jewelry alongside other Museum-inspired adornments in-store and online.