FRANCES MACDONALD MCNAIR (1874-1921) (ATTRIBUTED TO) PENDANT NECKLACE, CIRCA 1900 white metal and enamel, incised with a stylised 'R' to reverse (pendant 3.7cm (1 1/2in) long) Note: Frances Macdonald and her sister Margaret were skilled in metalware, jewellery and enamelling however few executed pieces of jewellery are known. A group of jewellery, attributed to McNair and engraved to the reverse with the letter R, as in the present lot, was sold at Christie’s, London, in 1992. For similar examples of jewellery in this group, with this marking, see Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, Accession Numbers 2021.7.6 and 2021.7.5
The Glasgow Institute of the Fine Arts - 14x30,5, ca. 1896, on linen by Frances MacDonald (1873-1921), Margaret MacDonald (1865-1933) and James H. McNair (1868-1955)
FRANCES MACDONALD MCNAIR (1874-1921) (ATTRIBUTED DESIGNER) BROOCH, CIRCA 1900 white metal and enamel, marked verso R (3.4cm across) Footnote: Note: Frances Macdonald and her sister Margaret were skilled in metalware, jewellery and enamelling however few executed pieces of jewellery are known. A group of jewellery, attributed to McNair and engraved to the reverse with the letter R, as in the present lot, was sold at Christie’s, London, in 1992. For similar examples of jewellery in this group with this marking see Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, Accession Numbers 2021.7.6 and 2021.7.5
FRANCES MACDONALD MCNAIR (1873-1921) DESIGN FOR JEWELLERY, CIRCA 1901-02 pencil and watercolour, inscribed in pencil - PLEASE PUT ON/ EXTRA RING &/ FASTEN CHAIN TO PENDANT- (17.5cm x 10.5cm) Provenance: Mrs C. Armstrong, the artist's niece The Fine Art Society, London, 1979 Private Collection Footnote: Exhibited: Doves & Dreams: The Art of Frances Macdonald and J. Herbert McNair, Hunterian Art Gallery Glasgow, 2006 & Walker Art Gallery Liverpool, 2007, M20 Note: After completing studies together at the Glasgow School of Art, Frances Macdonald McNair and her sister Margaret established a small studio together, where they often worked in collaboration with each other as well as Herbert McNair and Charles Rennie Mackintosh. Together they became known as ‘The Four’, developing widespread international acclaim for their designs. Frances and Herbert married in 1899 and soon after moved to Liverpool where they both taught design classes at the Art Sheds at the University. It was in these early years that Frances really began to explore her interest in jewellery design. Sadly, very few examples of the jewellery she produced during this time are thought to have survived, however a rare handful of original designs are still known, including these four works, which can be traced directly back through the family. Each is skillfully executed and illustrates a strong sense of creativity and refinement as well as a fascination with stylised forms and decorative linear patterns. It is thought that Frances particularly admired the work of Lily Day, a staff member at the Art Sheds, after attending her evening classes in enamelling. Indeed, these particular designs may also indicate inspiration from C. R. Ashbee, as she sought to delicately balance fine wirework and enamelled details, with her distinctive mystical imagery. After her son Sylvan was born in 1900, motherhood and children became a significant theme in her work, exemplified in Lot 354. This figure appears in several of her works throughout her career, namely in The Spirit of the Rose, a textile design that Frances adapted for this particular pendant. Some of Frances’ designs were exhibited at St George's Hall, Liverpool in 1900 and again in Turin in 1902, yet after the demise of the Art Sheds the McNair’s financial situation was precarious and they moved back to Glasgow in 1908 where she taught classes in embroidery and metalwork at the School of Art. Latterly her focus turned to watercolours, revisiting themes of motherhood, and thus her venture into jewellery-making was relatively short-lived. Nevertheless, her designs had a lasting impact on the work of artists such as Edgar Simpson and Jessie Marion King, and demonstrate her impact on the development of the Art Nouveau aesthetic.
FRANCES MACDONALD MCNAIR (1873-1921) DESIGN FOR A BROOCH OR PENDANT, CIRCA 1901-02 pencil and watercolour, inscribed in pencil DESIGN FOR BROOCH IN TURQUOISE AND SILVER-/ OR PENDANT (10cm x 10.5cm) Provenance: Mrs C. Armstrong, the artist's niece The Fine Art Society, London, 1979 Private Collection Footnote: Exhibited: Doves & Dreams: The Art of Frances Macdonald and J. Herbert McNair, Hunterian Art Gallery Glasgow, 2006 & Walker Art Gallery Liverpool, 2007, M21 Note: After completing studies together at the Glasgow School of Art, Frances Macdonald McNair and her sister Margaret established a small studio together, where they often worked in collaboration with each other as well as Herbert McNair and Charles Rennie Mackintosh. Together they became known as ‘The Four’, developing widespread international acclaim for their designs. Frances and Herbert married in 1899 and soon after moved to Liverpool where they both taught design classes at the Art Sheds at the University. It was in these early years that Frances really began to explore her interest in jewellery design. Sadly, very few examples of the jewellery she produced during this time are thought to have survived, however a rare handful of original designs are still known, including these four works, which can be traced directly back through the family. Each is skillfully executed and illustrates a strong sense of creativity and refinement as well as a fascination with stylised forms and decorative linear patterns. It is thought that Frances particularly admired the work of Lily Day, a staff member at the Art Sheds, after attending her evening classes in enamelling. Indeed, these particular designs may also indicate inspiration from C. R. Ashbee, as she sought to delicately balance fine wirework and enamelled details, with her distinctive mystical imagery. After her son Sylvan was born in 1900, motherhood and children became a significant theme in her work, exemplified in Lot 354. This figure appears in several of her works throughout her career, namely in The Spirit of the Rose, a textile design that Frances adapted for this particular pendant. Some of Frances’ designs were exhibited at St George's Hall, Liverpool in 1900 and again in Turin in 1902, yet after the demise of the Art Sheds the McNair’s financial situation was precarious and they moved back to Glasgow in 1908 where she taught classes in embroidery and metalwork at the School of Art. Latterly her focus turned to watercolours, revisiting themes of motherhood, and thus her venture into jewellery-making was relatively short-lived. Nevertheless, her designs had a lasting impact on the work of artists such as Edgar Simpson and Jessie Marion King, and demonstrate her impact on the development of the Art Nouveau aesthetic.
FRANCES MACDONALD MCNAIR (1873-1921) DESIGN FOR A PENDANT, CIRCA 1901-02 pencil and watercolour, inscribed in pencil ENAMEL -/ SIDE-/ FRONT-/ BACK- (10.5cm x 14cm) Provenance: Mrs C. Armstrong, the artist's niece The Fine Art Society, London, 1979 Private Collection Footnote: Exhibited: Doves & Dreams: The Art of Frances Macdonald and J. Herbert McNair, Hunterian Art Gallery Glasgow, 2006 & Walker Art Gallery Liverpool, 2007, M23 Note: After completing studies together at the Glasgow School of Art, Frances Macdonald McNair and her sister Margaret established a small studio together, where they often worked in collaboration with each other as well as Herbert McNair and Charles Rennie Mackintosh. Together they became known as ‘The Four’, developing widespread international acclaim for their designs. Frances and Herbert married in 1899 and soon after moved to Liverpool where they both taught design classes at the Art Sheds at the University. It was in these early years that Frances really began to explore her interest in jewellery design. Sadly, very few examples of the jewellery she produced during this time are thought to have survived, however a rare handful of original designs are still known, including these four works, which can be traced directly back through the family. Each is skillfully executed and illustrates a strong sense of creativity and refinement as well as a fascination with stylised forms and decorative linear patterns. It is thought that Frances particularly admired the work of Lily Day, a staff member at the Art Sheds, after attending her evening classes in enamelling. Indeed, these particular designs may also indicate inspiration from C. R. Ashbee, as she sought to delicately balance fine wirework and enamelled details, with her distinctive mystical imagery. After her son Sylvan was born in 1900, motherhood and children became a significant theme in her work, exemplified in Lot 354. This figure appears in several of her works throughout her career, namely in The Spirit of the Rose, a textile design that Frances adapted for this particular pendant. Some of Frances’ designs were exhibited at St George's Hall, Liverpool in 1900 and again in Turin in 1902, yet after the demise of the Art Sheds the McNair’s financial situation was precarious and they moved back to Glasgow in 1908 where she taught classes in embroidery and metalwork at the School of Art. Latterly her focus turned to watercolours, revisiting themes of motherhood, and thus her venture into jewellery-making was relatively short-lived. Nevertheless, her designs had a lasting impact on the work of artists such as Edgar Simpson and Jessie Marion King, and demonstrate her impact on the development of the Art Nouveau aesthetic.
FRANCES MACDONALD MCNAIR (1873-1921) DESIGN FOR A PENDANT, CIRCA 1901-02 pencil, watercolour and silver paint (16.5cm x 12.5cm) Provenance: Mrs C. Armstrong, the artist's niece The Fine Art Society, London, 1979 Private Collection Footnote: Exhibited: Doves & Dreams: The Art of Frances Macdonald and J. Herbert McNair, Hunterian Art Gallery Glasgow, 2006 & Walker Art Gallery Liverpool, 2007, M19 Note: After completing studies together at the Glasgow School of Art, Frances Macdonald McNair and her sister Margaret established a small studio together, where they often worked in collaboration with each other as well as Herbert McNair and Charles Rennie Mackintosh. Together they became known as ‘The Four’, developing widespread international acclaim for their designs. Frances and Herbert married in 1899 and soon after moved to Liverpool where they both taught design classes at the Art Sheds at the University. It was in these early years that Frances really began to explore her interest in jewellery design. Sadly, very few examples of the jewellery she produced during this time are thought to have survived, however a rare handful of original designs are still known, including these four works, which can be traced directly back through the family. Each is skillfully executed and illustrates a strong sense of creativity and refinement as well as a fascination with stylised forms and decorative linear patterns. It is thought that Frances particularly admired the work of Lily Day, a staff member at the Art Sheds, after attending her evening classes in enamelling. Indeed, these particular designs may also indicate inspiration from C. R. Ashbee, as she sought to delicately balance fine wirework and enamelled details, with her distinctive mystical imagery. After her son Sylvan was born in 1900, motherhood and children became a significant theme in her work, exemplified in Lot 354. This figure appears in several of her works throughout her career, namely in The Spirit of the Rose, a textile design that Frances adapted for this particular pendant. Some of Frances’ designs were exhibited at St George's Hall, Liverpool in 1900 and again in Turin in 1902, yet after the demise of the Art Sheds the McNair’s financial situation was precarious and they moved back to Glasgow in 1908 where she taught classes in embroidery and metalwork at the School of Art. Latterly her focus turned to watercolours, revisiting themes of motherhood, and thus her venture into jewellery-making was relatively short-lived. Nevertheless, her designs had a lasting impact on the work of artists such as Edgar Simpson and Jessie Marion King, and demonstrate her impact on the development of the Art Nouveau aesthetic.
FRANCES MACDONALD MCNAIR (1873-1921) DESIGN FOR A COVER FOR 'DAS EIGENKLEID DER FRAU', 1903 original cover design, pencil on brown tracing paper, laid on board, signed in pencil lower right FRANCES MCNAIR/ INV. DEL, inscribed ANNA MUTHESIUS and DAS EIGENKLEID (32cm x 25cm) Footnote: Provenance: Phillips, London, 17 November 1998, lot 287 Collection of Donald & Eleanor Taffner, New York Lyon & Turnbull, Edinburgh, The Taffner Collection, 7th September 2012, lot 64 Private Collection, London Literature: Burkhauser, Jude 'Glasgow Girls: Women in Art and Design 1880-1920', Edinburgh 1990, p. 54, fig. 53 for illustration of the printed book cover. Robertson, Pamela (Edit.) 'Doves and Dreams: The Art of Frances Macdonald and J. Herbert MacNair', Hampshire 2006, p. 170, exhib. ref. G17; G18, cat. ill. 16 for an image of the printed cover. Note: A member of the ‘Glasgow Four’, Frances Macdonald McNair’s collaborations with her sister Margaret, Charles Rennie Mackintosh and Herbert McNair are celebrated as pivotal works in the development of the Art Nouveau aesthetic in Scotland. Equally, her individual output as an artist was radical and challenged the fanciful and idealised depictions of the female form that were prevalent in Victorian Art of the late nineteenth century. This important early work by Frances, an original cover design for 'Das Eigenkleid Der Frau’, epitomises the avant-garde movement and illustrates a bold feminist statement, depicting a fresh image of the emerging ‘New Woman’. Unlike some of her contemporaries, Frances’ early life was not one of hardship. Her father’s success as an engineer ensured the family was financially secure so that Margaret and Frances could enrol in Day Classes at the prestigious Glasgow School of Art in 1891, a privilege that, at the time, most young women did not enjoy. Indeed, the city of Glasgow in the 1890s was a highly prosperous one; quickly becoming one of the wealthiest cities in the United Kingdom, it was a model for innovative design and manufacturing processes within the shipbuilding and textile industries. In this vein, the School of Art’s main focus was to foster talented designers that would strengthen the city’s key trades in an age of rapid change and increasing industrialisation. Yet the School’s Director, Francis Newberry, equally valued the importance of nurturing individuality and actively encouraged students to explore their own interests in their work, creating unique avenues for artistic expression. Frances and Margaret immersed themselves in this stimulating and progressive environment and one in which women were able to pursue a career as an artist, as opposed to undertaking classes for merely recreational purposes. This unique approach to art and design was critical in Frances’ formative years as an artist. In her early work, we see a distinct departure from the academic tradition, in favour of experimentation with stylised human forms and decorative linear patterns. This is confidently executed in her design for the cover of 'Das Eigenkleid Der Frau’ (Women’s Own Dress). The design is steeped in lyrical symmetry as the eye traces around the abstracted curvilinear forms, dancing from figure to figure. Frances’ links to the ‘Glasgow Four’ and the Art Nouveau aesthetic are also apparent; from the idiosyncratic lettering to preoccupations with botanical forms, in particular stylised roses. The book itself, authored by Anna Muthesius, is considered a seminal text in the development of early twentieth-century women’s fashion. Muthesius and her husband Hermann, the architectural writer, became close friends with the ‘The Four’ after several trips to Glasgow and the Willow Tearooms. Anna believed women should have the freedom to choose their own clothes, styling and fabrics. Her book celebrates artistic dress and represents an outlet for radical expression for women, aligning itself well to Frances’ artistic representation of the female form. The dresses were usually made by their designers and the book includes plates showing the Macdonald sisters wearing such dresses along with similar examples designed by Jessie Newbery and worn by her daughters, Mary and Elsie. The turn of the century was characterised by great social and political upheaval. At the centre of this was the idea of the ‘New Woman’; a financially independent woman who was able to engage more actively as a member of society. More women attained an education and joined the workforce to earn a living for themselves; they were able to engage in more sporting activities such as cycling, and they could freely express themselves through fashion. Taking a closer look at the design, one is immediately drawn to the enchanting linearity of the figures, deviating from the constraints of traditional Victorian representations of women as objects of purity and beauty. Here, the figures are imbued with an almost mystical quality, as they appear floating in a newly imagined world of femininity. Each woman is depicted in an elaborate shoulder-less dress which accentuates their feminine features; a mass of flowing hair carries the eye down the image until it catches the scattering of roses and every intricate detail of clothing, so as not to miss a single thread. These women refuse to prescribe to a rigid Victorian society of the past. Instead, they represent a promise of change, towards greater independence and individuality. Frances’ work was heavily criticised at the time and much of it was destroyed by her husband following her death, yet she was a pivotal artist in the development of the Glasgow Style and Art Nouveau aesthetic in Scotland. 'Das Eigenkleid Der Frau’ is a stunning example of her early designs that are confrontational, unapologetic, and defiant in illustrating a refreshing image of the ‘New Woman’ in a post-Victorian avant-garde era.
Frances MacDonald, attributed (Scottish, 1873-1921) double-sided illustration pencil, gouache on vellum unmarked with a Camels in Oasis enamel, unmarked 3.75"h x 4.25"w
Frances MacDonald MacNair (1874-1921) Bows pencil and watercolour heightened with touches of bodycolour and with scratching out on vellum 13 5/8 x 12 in. (34.6 x 30.5 cm.)
FRANCES MACDONALD MACNAIR (SCOTTISH 1874-1921) COVER DESIGN FOR 'DAS EIGENKLEID DER FRAU' BY ANNA MUTHESIUS signed and inscribed in pencil, pencil, laid down 32 x 25cm (12 1/2 x 9 3/4in)
FRANCES MACDONALD MACNAIR (SCOTTISH 1874-1921) 'GIRL WITH BLUE BUTTERFLIES' signed and dated lower centre right FRANCES E MACDONALD 1898, watercolour 43.5 x 100cm (17 x 39 1/2in)
FRANCES MACDONALD MACNAIR (SCOTTISH 1874-1921) DESIGN FOR CLASP AND ORNAMENT, CIRCA 1900-10 bears inscriptions, pencil and watercolour 14 x 11.5cm (5 1/2 x 4 1/2in)
FRANCES MACDONALD MACNAIR (SCOTTISH 1874-1921) 'THE FROG PRINCE' signed and dated FRANCES E MACDONALD 1898, watercolour and gold ink 49 x 37cm (19 1/4 x 14 1/2in)
Bows, Beads and Birds signed 'FRANCES MACNAIR' (lower left) and further signed and inscribed "Bows Beads and Birds'/Frances MacNair-/Price £15.5.0/Address-/6 Florentine Terrace/Hillhead.Glasgow-' (on the artist's label attached to the backboard) pencil and watercolour heightened with touches of bodycolour, on vellum 11 x 13 in. (27.9 x 33 cm.)
The Rose Child signed and dated 'FRANCES MACDONALD.1898.' (lower centre) pencil and watercolour with gum arabic, heightened with white, on vellum 18 x 7 7/8 in. (45.7 x 20 cm.)
The Sleeping Princess signed 'FRANCES MACDONALD MACNAIR' (lower left) and inscribed 'THE SLEEPING PRINCESS' (on the backboard) pencil and watercolour heightened with touches of bodycolour and gold, on vellum 5 3/4 x 18 7/8 in. (14.7 x 47.8 cm.) (2)
