Art Nouveau arrived at the 1900 Paris Exposition all sinuous line and organic exuberance. It never took widely in America — its forms resisted mass production — though later, more streamlined designs eased into the factory. Charles Rennie Mackintosh, who began as an Arts and Crafts architect, worked with his wife Margaret Macdonald, her sister Frances, and Herbert MacNair as “The Four”; based in Scotland, their designs were copied worldwide.
Design Elements
- Long, sweeping lines
- Long, mostly cabriole legs
- Thin upholstery
- Rare woods chosen for their color
- Elaborate carving and intricate veneer inlay
- Painted detail
- Brass and chrome hardware
- Opulent fabrics and tapestry under a high-polished finish