The Sisters of Glasgow Margaret & Frances Macdonald The Rose Gallery 153 W. Regent St. Glasgow, G2 2R United Kingdom Charles Rennie Mackintosh The group known as ‘The Four’ Keppie, and the sisters were day comprised Charles Rennie students at Glasgow School of Art. Mackintosh, James Herbert McNair They formed an informal creative (1868 - 1955), and the sisters, alliance which produced innovative Margaret Macdonald (1864 - 1933) and at times controversial graphics Frances Macdonald and Frances Macdonald (1873 - and decorative art designs. All four 1921). The artists met as young artists were heavily influenced by students at Glasgow School of Art Aubrey Beardsley and Jan Toorop, in the mid 1890s. Mackintosh and whose work “The Three Brides” McNair were close friends and is considered to be of primary fellow apprentice architects in the significance in the development of Glasgow practice of Honeyman and the Glasgow Style. Margaret Macdonald James Herbert McNair Frances Macdonald (1873-1921) Margaret Macdonald (1864-1933) Frances Macdonald’s achievements at Glasgow School of Art where thread them and Tis a long Margaret was one of the most influenced by mysticism, symbol- to her almost every day. These are less well known than those of she met Mackintosh and path which wanders to desire gifted and successful women ism and Celtic imagery. Her early letters are very important, as they her sister, Margaret Macdonald. Herbert McNair. are no doubt a reflection of artists in Scotland at the turn work c.1893-97, belongs to what give an insight into how much he In part this is due to the loss of this. The couple returned to of the century. Her output was came to be known as the ‘Spook loves and admires Margaret. He much of her work, destroyed by In the mid 1890s Frances left the Glasgow in 1908. It was in the wide-ranging and included School’ of Celtic expression. Her says that “he merely has talent, her husband, Herbert McNair, School and set up an independent following years that Macdonald watercolours, graphics, metalwork collaboration with Mackintosh and she Margaret has genius”, after her death, and in part to the studio in the city centre with her painted a moving series of and textiles. Arguably her greatest comprised primarily the produc- and on another occasion he tells fact that she left Glasgow in 1899. sister. Together they collaborated symbolist watercolours achievements were in gesso, a tion of panels for interiors and her to always remember that she Nonetheless she produced some on metalwork, graphics, textile addressing somber themes plaster-based medium, which she furniture, notably for the Willow was half of all his architectural of the most powerful imagery of designs and book illustrations, related to marriage, mother- used to make decorative panels Tearooms 1904, the Warndorfer work. Ill health and the strain the Glasgow Style, and her late exhibiting in London, Liver- hood and the plight of women. for furniture and interiors. Music Salon in Vienna and The of Mackintosh’s declining career symbolist watercolours are moving pool and Venice. Her work Frances McNair died in 1921 at Hill House. Heady times ensued contributed to a decline in her meditations on the choices and development has much in the age of 47, reportedly of a Macdonald was born in Tipton almost from the moment of own output and no work after facing women. common with those of her sister, cerebral hemorrhage, although near Wolverhampton, England their marriage. While exhibiting 1921 is known. Margaret died in although her figures tend to be rumor persisted that she had and came to Glasgow with her with the Secessionists in Vienna, London in 1933, five years after Frances was born in England and more emaciated and anguished. taken her own life. After family around 1890. She enrolled they acquired friends among the her husband. moved to Glasgow with her family Like Margaret’s, her work is her death, Herbert McNair as a day student at Glasgow luminaries of Eastern Europe by 1890. She enrolled as a student characterized by an interest in destroyed most of her work, as School of Art, c.1893 where she and her miniatures incorporat- The largest single holding of her symbolism, mythology and fairy well as his own. met Charles Rennie Mackintosh ing substances like sandstone and work is housed at the Hunte- subjects. Following her marriage and his friend, Herbert McNair. pearl were revelatory to Klimt. A rian Art Gallery, University of in 1899 to Herbert McNair, she The largest single holding She left the School in the mid significant commission was also Glasgow. For further informa- joined him in Liverpool where of her work is housed at the 1890s and set up an independent gained there: the Warndorfer tion, consulted. Jude Burkhauser, McNair was by then teaching Hunterian Art Gallery, Univer- studio in the city with her Music Salon, destroyed in World ‘Glasgow Girls’, Canongate Press design at the School of Architec- sity of Glasgow. For further sister, Frances. War I. (The surviving panel from 1990 and Janice Helland, ‘The ture and Applied Art. The couple information consulted. Jude her Seven Princesses series hangs Studios of Frances Macdonald designed the interiors of their Burkhauser, ‘Glasgow Girls’, Margaret and her sister worked in the Vienna Arts and Crafts and Margaret Macdonald’, Man- home at 54 Oxford Street and Canongate Press, 1990 and together until Frances’s marriage Museum opposite works by Klimt chester University Press, 1995. exhibited a Writing Room at the Janice Helland, ‘The Studios to James Herbert McNair and that reflect her influence.) The International Exhibition of Mod- of Frances Macdonald and departure for Liverpool in 1899. precise nature of their partnership ern Art, Turin. Macdonald also Margaret Macdonald’, Mackintosh and Margaret mar- is difficult to define, because little started teaching, and developed University Press, 1995. ried in 1900, remaining in documentation survives. How- skills in jewelry, enamel work and Glasgow till 1914, when they ever it is certain that Macdonald embroidery. The closure of the moved to London. played an important role in the School in the early 1900s led to development of the decorative, a gradual decline in their careers, Collaboration was key to symbolic interiors of the early compounded by the loss of the Margaret Macdonald’s creativity. 1900s, including the House for McNair family wealth through The partnership with her sister an Art Lover portfolio, the Rose business failures. McNair had at 128 Hope Street, in the 1890s Boudoir, Turin and the Willow little success as a watercolorist and produced metalwork, graphics, Tea Rooms. life for the couple was difficult. and a series of book illustrations Such late works as Man makes developing a distinctive style In 1914 she and Charles settled the beads of life but women in England, living in Chelsea 1916-23, and then at Port Vendres in the French Pyrenees 1923-27. Few works have come to light from these later years. In 1926 Margaret goes to London for medical treatment, and while she is there Mackintosh writes a series of letters to her. Indeed, he writes 1864 born on November the 1893 Margaret and her sister 5th in Kidsgrove, Staffordshire, Frances enrolled at the England. Frances Macdonald and Margaret Macdonald, Glasgow School of Art as day students. The Birth and Death of the Winds 3-panel Screen , 1893-96, Frances Macdonald, 1873 born on August 24 in Carved chestnut with inset raised copper panels, 162.5 x 152.3 cm Exactly how and when they Design for the center panel for The Birth and Death of Kidsgrove, Staffordshire, all first met each other is not England. the Winds screen, 1893-96, pencil and ink on brown clear but it’s most likely that fellow student Jessie Keppie tracing paper, 36.6 x 51.1 cm had a hand in it, as Mackin- 1877 enrolled in the extremely tosh was by now working with progressive Orme Girls’ School her brother John and Macnair in North Staffordshire, pioneer in the firm of Honeyman in the field of female education. & Keppie. After leaving Orme’s, Margaret 1893 Article in The Magazine, studied in Germany. She spoke published by students at The both French and German. Glasgow School of Art. This is a commentary on students work which directed almost all Margaret Macdonald, All this is very much parallel the attention to the “brilliant to the role of Fra Newberry Design for the right panel for The Birth and Death of the Winds screen, sisters Macdonald” and his vision of The Glasgow 1893-96, pencil and ink on brown tracing paper, 53.3 x 42.3 cm School of Art. Newberry was headmaster of GSA from 1894 Mackintosh’s engagement 1885 - 1917. to Jessie Keppie is terminated, and it is around this time that he and Margaret committed 1883 Was first admitted to the themselves to each other. Glasgow School of Art. 1894 exhibit at The South 1888 The family moved to 9 Kensington Institute with far Windsor Terrace, in the west from sympathetic articles in end of Glasgow. the local press. They are ridi- culed as “the spook school.” 1889 Was admitted to the Glasgow School of Art. 1895 start to work collab- oratively. In July The Yellow Book publishes six water- colours, two each by Margaret and Frances. In October they exhibit in London at the 5th Arts and Crafts Exhibition. Two supportive articles appear Margaret Macdonald, in Studio magazine, which Frances Macdonald, introduced their work Design for a Mirror Frame c.1896, Black and red crayon and watercolour Ill Omen or Girl in the East Wind with Ravens Passing the Moon, to the Continent.