Charles Rennie Mackintosh: A Modern Man

"Seed-root-bud-leaf-bloom." With this holistic mantra we are introduced to Scottish architect/artist/designer Charles Rennie Mackintosh, whose chaste-yet-sexual, unadorned-yet-detailed technique was a precursor to the modernist style and subsequently the Art Deco movement. Born in 1868, Mackintosh's career and personal life certainly had ups and downs; these may be attributed to a perfectionism and philosophy that bid him to design not just a building, but its decor, furnishings, even cutlery, as well--and all under his own terms. Mackintosh's failures and successes are well chronicled in this inexpensive BBC tape, but, as with most fine-arts documentaries, this one assumes that the viewer has a basic knowledge of the broad topic at hand. I would have appreciated being given more detail about how Mackintosh differed from his contemporaries, and being shown, trait for trait, just what distinguishes the typical Mackintosh piece. Despite these missteps, the video is recommended for fine-arts collections, large and small. Aud: H, C, P. (K. Glaser)