Art Nouveau Style: Antonio Gaudi And Charles Rennie Mackintosh

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The art nouveau style evolved throughout Europe and many artists adopted or conformed to the organic style presented. Two stand out artists for me, that I have always had an interest in, are Antonio Gaudi and Charles Rennie Mackintosh. Both are regarded as art nouveau artists however they both have very different styles in my eye. In comparision, their lives have many simalarties, with early life influencing the artists they became, and the legact they both leave behind. In this essay I am going to compare their lives, styles, influences and legacies.
EARLY LIFE
Charles Rennie Mackintosh, born in Glasgow in 1868, was and still is a hugely significant icon within architectural history. His life wasn’t always easy as from a young age as he suffered from a variety of disabilities. During school he had difficulty reading and writing, considered slow by teachers, but in todays modern world he would be classed as dyslexic. He suffered from a foot disability, causing him to have a limp. He also developed a problem wit his right eye, causing it to droop. Coming from a large family of 11 and disabilities combined, Mackintosh had difficulty fitting in at school. He was encouraged by others to spend time in the peaceful countryside, which then went on to develop a love of nature and flora. Antoni Gaudi i Cornet, born in Reus, Catalonia, Spain in 1852, was an architect with an eclectic, original and individual style, leaving his print on the city of Barcelona forever. Simarlarly to Mackintosh, he had a difficult youth suffering from poor health. He suffered from rheumatism, a disorder that effects the joints and connective tissues in the body. Its believed that this may of lead to him becoming a reserved character, very much like Mackint...

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... he continued to learn about foreign styles. Due to the strong relationships between Spain and France people came over to Barcelona. This allowed him to regularly meet people and discuss different movements, becoming more culturised without even leaving the country. I think he connected well with Art Nouveau due to its flora influence, as we know, Gaudi had a strong passion for.
Mackintosh was also strongly influenced by Art Nouveau, the Arts and Crafts Movement and Japonism. Japonism is the influence of Japanese art and culture had on European art. With the introduction of the industrial revolution, this allowed Asian styles to make its impact of foreign art. Due to Glasgow being one of the largest production centres for shipbuilding during the indurstrial revolution, this brought in the Japensese Navy, bringing Mackintosh in direct contact with a new culture.

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