Mackintosh Travel Sketches

Sketching is an essential component of an architect’s training, to develop draughtsmanship, understanding of construction and materials, and a design reference library.

From the 1880s the Scottish architect, Charles Rennie Mackintosh (1868–1928) sketched in Scotland and England, and, on a few occasions, abroad. In 1891 he described the excitement of travelling with ‘glowing heart but shivering hand to sketch the humble cottage, the more pretentious mansion or the mutilated though venerable castle, with feelings of the most indescribable delight.’ Mackintosh’s draughtsmanship was economic, eloquent and unhesitating and based on rigorous analysis ofFree the subject before the placing of any mark on the paper. Mackintosh referred to such notations as ‘bits’ and ‘jottings’.

This exhibition presents a selection of watercolours, sketchbook pages and sketchbooks which show the range of his travels and his interest in Scottish tower houses, medieval English churches and vernacular architecture. It also shows how these studies informed Mackintosh’s architectural practice.