Charles Rennie Mackintosh: The Architectural Papers

The impact of Charles Rennie Mackintosh (1868-1928) on the international arts and crafts movement and on the evolution of architectural development is well documented. According to Mies van der Rohe he was "a purifier in the world of architecture, " who also viewed architecture as intimately engaged with the decorative arts. This first publication of Mackintosh's only known architectural writings brings a fresh perspective to understanding the enigmatic genius of this twentieth-century pioneer.The six lecture scripts and a diary of Mackintosh's study trip to Italy span the years 1891 to 1902, a vital and formative period of his career. Enlivened by idiosyncratic spelling and flashes of humor, they are full of the young architect's voice, his attitudes and views of the world around him, and the sources of his inspiration. They reveal Mackintosh's deep respect for tradition as well as for vernacular architecture and his passionate commitment to creative individuality. The texts also touch on issues involved in the current architectural debate stirred by the Prince of Wales.Introductory essays by leading scholars Frank Arneil Walker, Pamela Robertson, James Macaulay, David Walker, and Robert Macleod illuminate the context in which Mackintosh wrote and the relationship between his thinking and his designs. The illustrations include much valuable comparative material and several previously unpublished or inaccessible Mackintosh drawings. Pamela Robertson is Curator of the Mackintosh Collection at the Hunterian Gallery, the University of Glasgow.