This brilliant poster designed and produced for The Glasgow Institute
of the Fine Arts in 1895. Designed by Herbert McNair of "The
Glasgow Four" a group of designers that also included the great Charles
Rennie Mackintosh and Margaret and Frances Macdonald. He did this
poster along with the Macdonald sisters, Margaret and Frances, his
wife. Their controversial poster designs led to "The Four" being termed
"The Spook School" by critics.
"While rejecting the term 'stylist,' these four in close association
evolved an integrated vocabulary of decorative forms and an overall
look that was uniquely their own, despite owing debts to William
Morris, Aubrey Beardsley, the Dutch symbolist painter Jan Toorop
and Japanese design generally. Eliminating what Charles called 'antiquarian
ornament,' they achieved a pared down version of Art Nouveau that
paved the way for Art Deco and Modernist Minimalism. A Scottish
spirit was infused by means of heathery colors and mystical Celtic
symbols.
This innovative quartet teamed up while studying at The Glasgow
School of Art (later rebuilt as Charles' architectural masterpiece).
English-born but with family in Glasgow, the inseparable Macdonald
sisters were enrolled as day students in the early 1890's and the
two young men, native Glaswegians associated with the same architectural
practice, attended evening classes. Independently, each pair had
embarked upon similar experiments in drawing, watercolor painting
and decoration. Noting a strong affinity in content, as well as
technique and form, the school's astute director introduced them
and the creative alliance forged was immediately successful. When
their avant-garde 'New Art' appeared at the next student show, it
attracted praise and they were christened The Four"(Glasgow
style)
Posters by the " Four" are extremely rare and have fetched
over $100,000 US in auction.
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