Iain Macnab Explained

Iain Macnab
Birth Name:Iain Macnab of Barachastlain
Birth Date:1890 10, df=yes
Birth Place:Iloilo, Philippines
Death Place:London, England
Nationality:British
Field:Wood-engraver and painter
Training:Glasgow School of Art, Heatherley's School of Fine Art

Iain Macnab of Barachastlain (21 October 1890 – 24 December 1967) was a Scottish wood-engraver and painter.

As a prominent teacher he was influential in the development of the British school of wood-engraving.[1] His pictures are noted for clarity of form and composition.

His concepts of the sense of motion which could be created by the shape of repetitive parallel lines were of profound influence, in particular in relation to the art of linocut – an art form which both he and Claude Flight pioneered at the Grosvenor School of Modern Art where with the teachers included Cyril Power and Sybil Andrews.[2]

Notes and References

  1. Hal Bishop, 'Macnab, Iain, of Barachastlain (1890–1967)’, Oxford Dictionary of National Biography, Oxford University Press, 2004 accessed 30 June 2009
  2. Web site: British Pavilion in Venice. British Council. 10 February 2014. https://web.archive.org/web/20140511201737/http://venicebiennale.britishcouncil.org/timeline/1930. 11 May 2014. dead.
  3. Book: David Buckman. Art Dictionaries Ltd. 2006. Artists in Britain Since 1945 Vol 2, M to Z . 0-953260-95-X.
  4. News: Flag bearer to the Macnab dies aged 77. 10 February 2014. The Herald. Glasgow. 26 December 1967. 9.
  5. News: Mr Iain Macnab (obituary). The Times. 27 December 1967. 10.
  6. Benezit Dictionary of British Graphic Artists and Illustrators, Volume 1 By Oxford University Press
  7. Web site: Nicht at Eenie : the bairns' Parnassus / With wood-engravings by Iain MacNab. Library and Archives, Canada. 15 February 2014.
  8. Web site: Nicht at Eenie : the bairns' Parnassus / With wood-engravings by Iain MacNab. Library and Archives, Canada. 15 February 2014.
  9. Web site: Figure drawing / [by] Iain Macnab]. Library and Archives, Canada. 15 February 2014.
  10. Web site: Macnab, Iain, 1890-1967, Figure Drawing. Library and Archives, Canada. 15 February 2014.
  11. Web site: Macnab, Iain, 1890-1967. Student's book of wood-engraving. 1938. Library and Archives, Canada. 15 February 2014.
  12. Web site: Macnab, Iain, 1890-1967. Student's book of wood-engraving. 1947. Library and Archives, Canada. 15 February 2014.
  13. Web site: Browning, Robert, 1812-1889. Poems. Selections. 1938. Library and Archives, Canada. 15 February 2014.
  14. Web site: The sculptured garland : a selection from the lyrical poems of Walter Savage Landor. Library and Archives, Canada. 15 February 2014.
  15. Web site: Search for Iain Macnab. British Museum. 15 February 2014.
  16. Web site: Search for Iain Macnab. Victoria & Albert Museum. 14 February 2014.
  17. Web site: Iain Macnab. Room4art. 10 February 2014.
  18. Web site: Drying Sails, Lake Garda. University of Cambridge. 15 February 2014. https://web.archive.org/web/20140222020604/http://www.fitzmuseum.cam.ac.uk/dept/pdp/opac/cataloguedetail.html?&priref=6023&_function_=xslt&_limit_=10. 22 February 2014. dead.
  19. Web site: Iain Macnab (1890 − 1967). British Council Collection. British Council. 10 February 2014. https://web.archive.org/web/20140222043004/http://collection.britishcouncil.org/collection/artist/5/18330. 22 February 2014. dead.
  20. Web site: Hills near Malaga, Iain Macnab. Government Art Collection. UK Government. 15 February 2014. 21 February 2014. https://web.archive.org/web/20140221160612/http://www.gac.culture.gov.uk/work.aspx?obj=10220. dead.
  21. Biographic notes on Iain Macnab from [http://campbell-fine-art.com/cat_works.php?art=76 Campbel Fin Arts] accessed 10/2/2004

    His work was shown in the British pavilion at the Venice Biennale of 1930.[2]

    Biography

    Iain Macnab was born in Iloilo in the Philippines on 21 October 1890 to Scottish parents, the son of John Macnab of the Hongkong and Shanghai Bank. The family moved to Scotland when he was young.

    Macnab served in France in the First World War as a captain in the Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders. He was severely wounded as a machine-gun officer, invalided out and spent two years in bed recovering from his wounds. He rejoined the military in the Second World War, despite his age, and became a pilot officer in the Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve. He was again wounded and invalided twice, in 1942 and 1945.

    He married the dancer Helen Wingrave.

    Macnab was educated at Merchiston Castle School in Edinburgh before studying at Glasgow School of Art and then at Heatherley’s in 1918. From 1919 to 1925 he was principal of Heatherley’s School of Art.

    In 1925 he became the founding principal of the Grosvenor School of Modern Art.[3]

    Macnab was hereditary armourer and standard bearer to the Macnab of Macnab.[4]

    Macnab died in London on 24 December 1967.[5] [6] His younger sister Chica Macnab was also an artist.

    Published works

    • Book: Macnab, Iain. Nicht at Eenie : the bairns' Parnassus / With wood-engravings by Iain MacNab. 1932. Sampson Press. Warlingham, Surrey. 9780883054222. [7] Reprinted 1973, Norwood Editions, USA[8]
    • Book: Macnab, Iain. Figure drawing. 1936. The Studio. London and New York. [9] Revised second edition 1940[10]
    • Book: Macnab, Iain. The Student's book of wood-engraving. 1938. Sir Isaac Pitman. London. [11] Reprinted 1947[12]
    • Book: Browning, Robert. Robert Browning

    . Robert Browning. Selected Poems. 1938. Penguin Books. Harmondsworth. Wood-engravings by Iain Macnab[13]

    . Walter Savage Landor. The sculptured garland: A selection from the lyrical poems of Walter Savage Landor. 1948. Dropmore Press. London. 978-0841457096. Macnab, Iain (illust). Richard Buxton. [14]

    Public collections

    Works by Macnab are in the following public collections:

    Arts organisations

    Macnab was a member of the following arts organisations:

    Further reading

    • Book: Garrett, Albert. Wood Engravings and Drawings of Iain Macnab of Barachastlain. 1973. Midas Books. Tunbridge Wells, UK. 9780859360111.

    References

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