Art Noveau - Charles Rennie Mackintosh

Mackintosh’s poster of the Scottish Musical Review is mainly composed of linear art. The woman’s body is elongated this displays elegance and modernism; the curved lines used are a chief characteristic of the movement which derive from natural forms and evoke organic growth. Mackintosh has eliminated three-dimensional shapes in the design; this was achieved through reduced shading. The birds that surround the woman look as if they were her wings; this implies that the performance would be magical and very entertaining. Birds are also commonly used as a symbol of music, this then relates to the title and hints that the music played will be very pleasing and beautiful. Angled shapes are used a lot in the poster, these shapes relate to modern industrial techniques and materials used in architecture in that movement. The three tall-looking objects above the woman’s head look like lamps this also relates to the modern materials such as steel. Another suggestion to what the objects may be are flower buds waiting for the performance to start so that they can bloom, this again suggests that the performance will be beautiful since flowers are at their most beautiful when they are blooming. The pipe-looking objects below the lady look similar to wind instruments this relates the title. There is a circle behind the woman and she is sort of in the centre of it, this shows that the musical will be the centre of attention and it is the place to be. A gold coloured frame is surrounding the words at the bottom indicating that the words reveal some important information. The words are there to reveal, that it is a poster for ‘The Scottish Musical Review’, when it was published and the price. The text used for ‘The Scottish Musical Review’ is much more bigger than the rest, this shows that it holds greater importance.

This movement was a way of thinking about modern society and new production methods. It was an attempt to redefine the meaning and nature of art. From that time on, it was the duty of art not to overlook any everyday object no matter how ordinary it can be. The approach was considered completely new and revolutionary. Thus became the New Art – Art Noveau.