Description

Charles Rennie Mackintosh, 1898. Rectangular Art Nouveau headstone with central recessed inscribed panel (see Notes) and flanking carved stylised heads. Sandstone with angled corners. Moulding around central panel and exterior edges of stone. Pair of decorative heads with continuous flowing lines down and across headstone. Some carved leaf designs.

Statement of Interest

This headstone with its fine Art Nouveau decoration is one of a small number of headstones designed by the internationally renowned architect Charles Rennie Mackintosh. The stylised heads and font used for the inscription are typical of Mackintosh's decorative approach at this time. The stylised motifs depicting foliage is also characteristic of the Art Nouveau-inspired style Mackintosh favoured during this period.

Situated on the north side of Kilmacolm cemetery, the stone was designed for James Reid, who was a Telegraphic Superintendent of the Glasgow and South West Railway. He was the father-in-law of William Davidson, who was Mackintosh's client at the house Windyhill (LB12450), also in Kilmacolm. His widow, Margaret is also commemorated on the stone. Some sections of the inscription are difficult to decipher, as some of the wording has faded, but it seems to read: ERECTED BY MARGARET HENRY REID IN REMEMBRANCE OF HER HUSBAND JAMES REID. BORN 29 AUG 1837, DIED 04 OCT 1897. TELEGRAPHIC SUPDT G&SWRY. MARGARET HENRY REID, DIED 13 JULY 1907 AGED 71.

Charles Rennie Mackintosh (1868-1928) was born in Glasgow and is regarded internationally as one of the leading architects and designers of the 20th century. He became known as a pioneer of Modernism, although his architecture took much inspiration from Scottish Baronial, and Scottish and English vernacular forms and their reinterpretation. The synthesis of modern and traditional forms led to a distinctive form of Scottish arts and crafts design, known as 'The Glasgow Style'. This was developed in collaboration with contemporaries Herbert McNair, and the sisters Francis and Margaret Macdonald (who would become his wife in 1900), who were known as 'The Four'. The Glasgow Style is now synonymous with Mackintosh and the City of Glasgow.

Mackintosh's work is wide-ranging and includes public, educational and religious buildings to private houses, interior decorative schemes and sculptures. He is associated with over 150 design projects, ranging from being the principal designer, to projects he was involved with as part of the firm of John Honeyman & Keppie (Honeyman, Keppie & Mackintosh from 1901). The most important work during this partnership was the Glasgow School of Art (LB33105), which was built in two phases from 1897 and culminated in the outstanding library of 1907.

Other key works include the Willow Tea Rooms (LB33173), the Glasgow Herald Building (now The Lighthouse) (LB33087) and Hill House (LB34761), which display the modern principles of the German concept of 'Gesamtkunstwerk', meaning the 'synthesis of the arts'. This is something that Mackintosh applied completely to all of his work, from the exterior to the internal decorative scheme and the furniture and fittings.

Mackintosh left Glasgow in 1914, setting up practice in London the following year. Later he and Margaret moved to France, where until his death, his artistic output largely turned to textile design and watercolours.

Listed building record revised in 2019.

External Links

• Historic Environment Scotland Listing
• Wikidata Q17826419

External links are from the relevant listing authority and, where applicable, Wikidata. Wikidata IDs may be related buildings as well as this specific building. If you want to add or update a link, you will need to do so by editing the Wikidata entry.

Recommended Books

• 
  Worcestershire Revised Edition (Buildings of England) (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Pevsner's Architectural Glossary (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Introductions)
• 
  Department for Communities Listed Historic Buildings of Northern Ireland: Information Guide for the 2nd Survey of Historic Buildings
• 
  Staffordshire (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Cork: City and County (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of Ireland)
• 
  Pioneers of Modern Design: From William Morris to Walter Gropius (Penguin Art & Architecture)