Wall Panel for the Dug-Out (Willow Tea Rooms, Glasgow) - right 1917

Editor: This mixed-media piece, created by Charles Rennie Mackintosh in 1917, is titled "Wall Panel for the Dug-Out." Its intricate lines and delicate washes give it an ethereal, almost dreamlike quality. The blend of the figurative with what feels like architectural design strikes me as unique, maybe even a little haunting. What do you see in this work? Curator: Haunting is a brilliant word for it, actually. To me, it's like glimpsing a half-remembered fairytale, something both beautiful and vaguely unsettling. The muted colours, mostly watercolor and drawing, create this strange world. It’s definitely rooted in Art Nouveau, you can feel that elegant curve. Mackintosh here seems to be less concerned with representing the world around him, and more with capturing the essence of, shall we say, an interior world. The “Dug-Out” space it was created for seems to lend a melancholic air... don’t you feel it? Editor: I can see that. I hadn't thought about the context so directly, but you're right, the palette definitely leans into that mood. I’m intrigued by the symmetry too. What's its role here? Curator: The symmetry, yes! It brings a sense of order and control to an otherwise rather dreamlike scene. This play of order and fluidity is key, isn't it? Like trying to make sense of a feeling... It feels a little sacred doesn't it? Editor: Absolutely, especially with the verticality and repetition. This has been so interesting, highlighting layers that I missed before. Curator: And for me! Sometimes, another pair of eyes brings it all into brighter light.