An interview with Charles Rennie Mackintosh

For weblog class this week we have to interview an historic person i have chosen Charles Rennie Mackintosh.

Born in Glasgow on 7 June 1868, He was apprenticed to a local architect John Hutchison, but in 1889 he transferred to the larger, more established city practice of Honeyman and Keppie.


Hi how are you Mr Mackintosh?

Hi I'm fine thanks please call me Charles

OK Charles how was your childhood?

Well when i was a child i walked with a limp and i developed a problem with my right eye which caused it to droop. Because of these disabilities i was encouraged to spend time in the countryside when i was young.

And how was that?

It was really good the countryside is one of my many artistic influences

And your other influences are?

Well my travels around Europe helped feed my influences i also like Japanese art style

How did you get into architecture?

Ah well i enrolled at the Glasgow School of Art at the age of fifteen. A year later i joined John Hutchison architectural practice to train as a draughtsman. And then After completing my apprenticeship i moved to Honeymann and Keppie in 1889. In 1890 i won the coveted 'Alexander Thomson Travelling Studentship' for Public Design. With my prize of £60 i decided to travel to Italy and Europe.

Ah so thats when you got the insperation for your work i take it

Yes it was a good trip seeing italy and the rest of Europe

Well thank you for your time charles its been good talking to you

Thank you for having me here