Cover design 

This cover design for a portfolio was made around 1902 by Charles Rennie Mackintosh. The Glasgow-based designer was invited to contribute to a publication in Darmstadt, Germany, which was then a center for the development of the Jugendstil, or Art Nouveau, movement. The image features slender figures in an elegant, stylized composition that showcases Mackintosh's distinctive blend of natural and geometric forms. The lettering is integrated into the overall design, reflecting the era’s interest in the Gesamtkunstwerk, or total work of art. Mackintosh's work was part of a broader European effort to reform art education and blur the boundaries between fine and applied arts. By embracing new technologies and materials, designers hoped to make art more accessible to a wider audience, and to improve the quality of everyday life. To understand the context of Mackintosh’s design, we can explore archival materials related to art education and exhibition practices in Glasgow and Darmstadt, and consider how these shaped his aesthetic vision. The history of art helps us understand how cultural institutions shape the production and reception of art.