R. Mackintosh school of art

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SHOW THE DEVELOPMENT OF CHARLES RENNIE MACKINTOSH’S STYLE AT HIS GLASGOW SCHOOL OF ART FROM 1896-1908, HIS INFLUENCES AND HIS INNOVATIONS To begin with some history, the school was founded in 1884 and in 1869 moved to the south-east corner of a block of buildings overlooking Sauchiehall Street and Rose Street. In the centre of this block stood the city’s Art Gallery. The first appearance of R.Mclntosh (as he then spelt his name) (1868-1928), aged 15, was in September 1883. In 1895 the competition for the school design was declared. In the same year, December, the Assessors reported, that they had selected a set of drawings. On 13 January, 1897 the Chairman opened an envelope and drew out the name of Honeyman and Keppie, the company, where Charles Rennie Mackintosh used to work, as winners. While Newbery, as a Headmaster, would rightly have had a large say in this decision, it was solely at his insistence, and against bitter opposition, that Mackintosh won this competition. However, his designs would certainly have exasperated the Glasgow architectural establishment for no other reason than it is the nature of establishments to oppose the new. The local newspapers gave notes, remarking, that the entrance was in the center of the building and missing the whole subtle, balanced the asymmetry of façade. The School, in whole, was full of unusual details and interesting elements, innovated by Mackintosh. In the school there are Art Nouveau motifs such as the sculpture over the main entrance door, however, the building is not clearly Art Nouveau in its overall design. It does follow the precept of Art Nouveau as being more of an 'anti-movement' than a cohesive style, incorporating ornamentation as integral rather than applied. There should be mentioned the unusual oriel window set on corbelling at the bottom of the tower on the east façade and the heart-shaped
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