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M201 Scottish section for the International Exhibition of Modern Decorative Art, Turin

Address: Parco di Valentino, Turin, Italy
Date: 1901–2
Authorship:

(Mackintosh)

1899–1900: Winter: Architects of the Circolo Artistico di Torino and other local artists and critics propose an exhibition of applied and industrial arts in the city. The date is fixed to coincide with the Esposizione Quadriennale di Belle Arti (Quadrennial Exhibition of Fine Arts) which the Societa Promotrice di Belle Arti (Society for the Promotion of Fine Arts) will mount in 1902 in Turin. 1

1901: May: The exhibition, under the patronage of the King, is announced in the Italian journal Arte e Storia. Members of the organising committee are named. 2
September: A member of the executive committee travels to Glasgow to meet Francis H. ('Fra') Newbery, who is subsequently appointed delegate in charge of the Scottish Section. Fernando Agnoletti is appointed secretary and Mackintosh designer. 3
October: A majority of the contributors and submissions to the Scottish Section have been finalised by Newbery. 4

1902: February: The Glasgow Herald reports on preparations for the exhibition and the Glaswegian and Scottish contributors. The construction of Mackintosh's scheme 'is in active progress' in Turin. 5
16 April: Mackintosh writes to Hermann Muthesius that 'we are leaving on Friday for London on our way to Turin. We would both very much like to come and see you and Mrs Muthesius and the boys.' 6
29 April: Austrian art patron Fritz Waerndorfer reports to his friend Josef Hoffmann his latest correspondence with Mackintosh regarding work on Mackintosh's music room at Waerndorfer's home in Karl Ludwig Strasse, Vienna. He conveys Mackintosh's good wishes from Turin, where he awaits Hoffmann's arrival, and Mackintosh's comments on the exhibition buildings. 7
10 May: Exhibition opens. 8
11 November: Exhibition closes. 9

1903: April: Newbery writes to the exhibition executive committee enclosing the final balance sheet for the Scottish Section. 10

Notes:

1: Richard A. Etlin, 'Turin 1902: The Search for a Modern Italian Architecture', Journal of Decorative and Propaganda Arts, 13, Summer 1989, p. 98; Enrico Thovez, 'The First Exhibition of Modern Decorative Art at Turin', Studio, 26, 1902, p. 45.

2: Arte e Storia, 20, 5–15 May 1902, p. 64.

3: 'Turin Decorative Art Exhibition', Glasgow Herald, 27 February 1902, p. 7.

4: 'Turin Decorative Art Exhibition', Glasgow Herald, 27 February 1902, p. 7.

5: 'Turin Decorative Art Exhibition', Glasgow Herald, 27 February 1902, p. 7.

6: 16 April 1902 was a Tuesday. Berlin, Werkbundarchiv, Museum der Dinge: Hermann Muthesius Estate, letter from Charles Rennie Mackintosh to Hermann Muthesius, 16 April 1902.

7: Universität für angewandte Kunst Wien, Kunstsammlung und Archiv, letter from Fritz Waerndorfer to Josef Hoffmann, 29 April 1902, Inv. Nr. 3997.

8: 'Turin Decorative Art Exhibition', Glasgow Herald, 27 February 1902, p. 7.

9: Rossana Bossaglia, Ezio Godoli and Marco Rossi, Torino 1902: Le Arti Decorative Internazionali del Nuovo Secolo, Milan: Fabbri Editori, 1994, p. 26.

10: Glasgow School of Art Archive: letter from Francis H. Newbery to exhibition executive committee and balance sheets, April 1903.

'Mackintosh Architecture' led by The Hunterian, University of Glasgow, funded by the Arts and Humanities Research Council; with additional support from The Monument Trust, The Pilgrim Trust, and the Paul Mellon Centre for Studies in British Art; and collaborative input from Historic Scotland and the Royal Commission on the Ancient and Historical Monuments of Scotland.