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

Charles Rennie Mackintosh designed this decorative panel for the dining room of the ‘House for an Art Lover’ in Glasgow. The subtle palette of creams and greens, punctuated by red roses, speaks to an understanding of artmaking as a process, a slow unfurling. The textures are so compelling, aren’t they? The delicate surface gives way to these tiny, precise marks which lend so much depth to the image. This piece looks like a drawing or a painting, but has the quality of something built, too, almost like a low relief sculpture. Look at the way the roses sit on the central figure’s body, like jewels, or wounds. I think this panel has a real kinship with the work of artists like Gustav Klimt, who were also exploring similar themes around the turn of the century. It’s a testament to how artists, across time and place, engage in a visual conversation, each offering their unique perspective.