Décor de la salle à manger (House for an art lover, Glasgow) 1901

This panel for a dining room by Charles Rennie Mackintosh is a lesson in how shapes can evoke the essence of things. Look at how he uses these soft, chalky colors and gentle curves to suggest figures and flowers. The surface has a subtle texture, like it's been gently brushed, and the paint seems almost translucent in places. I find myself drawn to the way the roses are rendered – not with precise detail, but with simple, swirling shapes that hint at their delicate beauty. It’s like Mackintosh is inviting us to see the world in a new way, reducing it to its most essential forms. It reminds me a little of Hilma af Klint, who was also exploring abstraction as a way to connect with something deeper. What I appreciate in both artists is their willingness to embrace ambiguity and to suggest rather than dictate. Art becomes a conversation, not a lecture.