This botanical watercolour was produced by Mackintosh during his stay in Walberswick between 1914 and 1915. It featured in the 78 Derngate Centenary Exhibition “Charles Rennie Mackintosh & The Great War“.
A number of sketches of Southwold and the surrounding area survive from Mackintosh’s first visit to Suffolk in 1897. In the early 1900s he travelled there again to visit Francis Newbery, Headmaster of Glasgow School of Art and mentor to Mackintosh. On this later extended visit in 1914-15 Mackintosh concentrated on flower drawings and landscape painting. In the months Mackintosh spent at Walberswick he produced over 40 flower drawings for publication or exhibition on the continent; plans curtailed by the outbreak of war.
This watercolour shows two flowers of Petunia hybrida from South America, the commonly grown half-hardy annual, and an unidentified plant lower centre.
He also made a number of watercolour studies of the surrounding landscape, developing the themes and style of his Sussex and Kent drawings of 1909 and 1910.
Clicking on the catalogue number link below will take you to the Hunterian website where further information may be available. All enquiries about usage of this image, access to the original work and information should be directed to The Hunterian Museum and Art Gallery.
The Hunterian Museum and Art Gallery catalogue information.
Watercolour: “Aubretia, Walberswick” 1914
CRE MACKINTOSH, Charles Rennie; (Scottish; 1868-1928)
pencil and watercolour on paper 25.8 x 20.2
Catalogue number: 41009