Charles Rennie Mackintosh was born in 1868 in the Townhead area of Glasgow. He was a Scottish designer, architect and watercolorist who became a well known and respected designer during the Arts and Crafts movement. In his early years he was apprenticed to an architect during the day and attended evening art classes.

In 1889 Charles Rennie Mackintosh joined a firm of architects and developed his own style: a contrast between strong right angles and floral-inspired decorative motifs with subtle curves, e.g. the Mackintosh Rose motif, along with some references to traditional Scottish architecture. The project that helped make Charles Mackintosh's international reputation was the Glasgow School of Art (1897-1909)

Mackintosh also worked in metalwork, interior design, furniture, and textiles. Much of this work combines Mackintosh's own designs with those of his wife, Margaret MacDonald, whose flowing, floral style complimented his more formal, rectilinear work. Like his contemporary Frank Lloyd Wright, Mackintosh's architectural designs often included detailed specifications for the detailing, decoration, and furnishing of his buildings.