Three modern paintings which caught my eye at the Hunterian Art Gallery (posts passim.)

John Byrne self-portrait:-

A landscape by Margot Sandeman:-

Grasses by Joan Eardley:-

Long time readers of this blog will know of my interest in the International Exhibitions held in Glasgow (1888, 1901,) the Scottish National Exhibition of 1911 and the Empire Exhibition of 1938.

Hence I was delighted to see this painting of the main building by William J Kennedy of the 1901 Exhibition on display at the Hunterian Art Gallery when we visited:-

Charles Rennie Mackintosh submitted designs for some of that Exhibition’s buildings (as well as for the 1911 one) as noted in this :-

And of course this picture of Dumbarton Rock and the River Clyde was irresistible:-

Then there was this one by my favourite impressionist painter, Alfred Sisley, one of a series he painted of the church at Moret:-

Portrait of a child by Henry Rayburn:-

Not to mention a couple of Old Masters, The Entombment by Rembrandt:-

and the one that stood out from across the room, Head of an Old Man by Rubens. It’s absolutely stunning:-

In the room above the Mackintosh house at the Hunterian Art Gallery, Glasgow (posts passim) are designs by Mackintosh which were intended for other people’s homes.

Furniture:-

Bedroom furniture. This was commissioned by a couple for a house in England:-

Stool + storage:-

An unusual table designed for William Douglas:-

A room at the Hunterian Art Gallery displayed some drawings Charles Rennie Mackintosh made for various projects.

Das Speise Zimmer. Mackintosh may have been designed for a Vienna exhibition around 1900:-

Othe rdrawings:-

The below have more of the feel of Margaret Mcdonald about them:-

Before reaching the reconstruction of the interior of Charles Rennie Mackintosh and Margaret Mcdonald’s Glasgow house at the Hunterian Art Gallery there are some other Mackintosh exhibits to see.

Model of unbuilt house. (This bears many similarities to Hill House in Helensburgh):-

Candlesticks designedby Charles Rennie Mackintosh:-

Charles Rennie Mackintosh designed cutlery:-

book covers. Mackintosh designed many of these for the publisher Blackie:-

Poster and Stair Hanging:-

The Mackintosh house is an extension to the original Hunterian Art Gallery on Hillhead Street off University Avenue in Glasgow. It is a replica of the Glasgow house Charles Rennie Mackintosh and his wife Margaret Macdonald.

The house’s facade on Hillhead Street:-

Lower window and door. The door here is obviously not accessible. Entry is from inside the Art Gallery:-

The “house” is externally rendered in concrete. Glasgow University buildings in background:-

Glasgow University’s Reading Room is on University Avenue, Glasgow:-

It is circular in shape but it’s really only the entrance doors and facade which look Deco. The rest is more like a post-war 1950s/60s building:-

Wall plaque (which looks like a design by Margaret Macdonald Mackintosh, wife to Charles Rennie Mackintosh):-

Upper Level:-

Fireplace, upper level:-

Seating, upper level:-

Seating:-

Fireplaces, lower level:-

Balcony from below:-

Glass partition at stairs:-

Stairs:-

Lower floor from top of stairs:-

Lower level from balcony:-

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These Charles Rennie Mackintosh designed tea rooms – for the famous Miss Cranston – were privately refurbished in the past few years but are now in the care of the National Trust for Scotland and seem to go by the name Mackintosh at the Willow, but that’s also the title of the affiliated gift shop next door.

We visited them because we hadn’t been there before but also to have lunch; which was excellent.

Sauchiehall Street was having work done on it at the time:-

In the photo above you can make out the circular design fronting the windows. This is a close-up:-

The Tea Rooms’ street sign:-

Internal lighting gantry:-

Wall frieze and partition wall below:-

These window curtains help diners escape scrutiny from outside:-