Monsieur Mackintosh

by Robin Crichton

In 1923, Charles Rennie Mackintosh and his wife Margaret Macdonald went on holiday to Roussillon, in the South of France, to rest and recuperate. Her health was poor and as an architect and designer he had become outmoded. They were enchanted. The holiday became a permanent stay and Mackintosh rapidly developed his talents as an artist. They spent the last and possibly the happiest years of their life together in an earthly paradise. When Charles Rennie Mackintosh died of cancer, his widow scattered his ashes on the waters of Port Vendres. It was in this southern corner of France that they spent the last four and possibly the happiest years of their life together. The book “Monsieur Mackintosh” is part biography, part art book and part guide book. It places as the man and his art within the context of his times and Roussillon of the 1920s. Suggested itineraries in the appendix provide a way of following in his footsteps to discover the land he knew and loved.

CLICK HERE TO BUY

Robin Crichton, President of the Association crm en Roussillon, follows in Mackintosh’s footsteps, rediscovering as he does so the culture and beauty of the region and how it influenced Mackintosh’s painting. Crichton’s own love of Roussillon shines through, and his elegiac prose sits in perfect harmony with Mackintosh’s splendid paintings.

Robin tells us a little more about the association

“”The objectives of the Charles Rennie Mackintosh Association are not only to make his life and works better known but also to develope cross-cultural Scottish/Roussillonais exchanges. A Mackintosh Trail runs from the coast to the Cerdagne with over 30 reproductions of his landscapes placed in situ. Interpretation centres at Palalda, Port-Vendres and (from this summer) in Fort Liberia at Villefranche de Conflent tell the story in three episodes.  We organise concerts, talks, plays, lectures and visits to and from Scotland . We also help to organise residencies and exhibitions for professional artists (painting and sculpture) and organise watercolour painting course for amateurs.
And lots more….. Events are held mainly in French but usually end up bi-lingual!
Membership is 20 euros”

More info: crmackintoshfrance.com