Iain Macnab

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

This article is about the Scottish artist. For the English singer-songwriter, see Ian McNabb.

Iain Macnab
A landscape etching by Iain Macnab, Spring Landscape, Tossa c1945 showing a farmworker, village and rural scene in fine detail.
Iain Macnab, Spring Landscape, Tossa c1945
Born
Iain Macnab of Barachastlain

(1890-10-21)21 October 1890
Iloilo, Philippines
Died24 December 1967(1967-12-24) (aged 77)
London, England
NationalityBritish
EducationGlasgow School of Art, Heatherley's School of Fine Art
Known forWood-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.[2]

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.[3]

His work was shown in the British pavilion at the Venice Biennale of 1930.[4]

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.[5]

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.[6] He rejoined the military in the Second World War, despite his age, and became a pilot officer in the Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve.[5] He was again wounded and invalided twice, in 1942 and 1945.[6]

He married the dancer Helen Wingrave.[5]

Macnab was educated at Merchiston Castle School in Edinburgh[5] 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.[7]

Macnab was hereditary armourer and standard bearer to the Macnab of Macnab.[5]

Macnab died in London on 24 December 1967.[6][8] His younger sister Chica Macnab was also an artist.[7]

Published works
  • Macnab, Iain (1932). Nicht at Eenie : the bairns' Parnassus / With wood-engravings by Iain MacNab. Warlingham, Surrey: Sampson Press. ISBN 9780883054222.[9] Reprinted 1973, Norwood Editions, USA[10]
  • Macnab, Iain (1936). Figure drawing. London and New York: The Studio.[11] Revised second edition 1940[12]
  • Macnab, Iain (1938). The Student's book of wood-engraving. London: Sir Isaac Pitman.[13] Reprinted 1947[14]
  • Browning, Robert (1938). Selected Poems. Harmondsworth: Penguin Books. Wood-engravings by Iain Macnab[15]
  • Landor, Walter Savage (1948). Richard Buxton (ed.). The sculptured garland: A selection from the lyrical poems of Walter Savage Landor. Macnab, Iain (illust). London: Dropmore Press. ISBN 978-0841457096.[16]

Public collections

Works by Macnab are in the following public collections:

Arts organisations

Macnab was a member of the following arts organisations:[5][6]

Further reading
  • Garrett, Albert (1973). Wood Engravings and Drawings of Iain Macnab of Barachastlain. Tunbridge Wells, UK: Midas Books. ISBN 9780859360111.

References
  1. Hal Bishop, 'Macnab, Iain, of Barachastlain (1890–1967)’, Oxford Dictionary of National Biography, Oxford University Press, 2004 accessed 30 June 2009
  2. "Iain Macnab (1890 − 1967)". British Council Collection. British Council. Archived from the original on 22 February 2014. Retrieved 10 February 2014.
  3. Biographic notes on Iain Macnab from [http://campbell-fine-art.com/cat_works.php?art=76 Campbel Fin Arts] accessed 10/2/2004
  4. "British Pavilion in Venice". British Council. Archived from the original on 11 May 2014. Retrieved 10 February 2014.
  5. "Flag bearer to the Macnab dies aged 77". The Herald. Glasgow. 26 December 1967. p. 9. Retrieved 10 February 2014.
  6. "Mr Iain Macnab (obituary)". The Times. 27 December 1967. p. 10.
  7. David Buckman (2006). Artists in Britain Since 1945 Vol 2, M to Z. Art Dictionaries Ltd. ISBN 0-953260-95-X.
  8. Benezit Dictionary of British Graphic Artists and Illustrators, Volume 1 By Oxford University Press
  9. "Nicht at Eenie : the bairns' Parnassus / With wood-engravings by Iain MacNab". Library and Archives, Canada. Retrieved 15 February 2014.
  10. "Nicht at Eenie : the bairns' Parnassus / With wood-engravings by Iain MacNab". Library and Archives, Canada. Retrieved 15 February 2014.
  11. "Figure drawing / [by] Iain Macnab". Library and Archives, Canada. Retrieved 15 February 2014.
  12. "Macnab, Iain, 1890-1967, Figure Drawing". Library and Archives, Canada. Retrieved 15 February 2014.
  13. "Macnab, Iain, 1890-1967. Student's book of wood-engraving. 1938". Library and Archives, Canada. Retrieved 15 February 2014.
  14. "Macnab, Iain, 1890-1967. Student's book of wood-engraving. 1947". Library and Archives, Canada. Retrieved 15 February 2014.
  15. "Browning, Robert, 1812-1889. Poems. Selections. 1938". Library and Archives, Canada. Retrieved 15 February 2014.
  16. "The sculptured garland : a selection from the lyrical poems of Walter Savage Landor". Library and Archives, Canada. Retrieved 15 February 2014.
  17. "Search for Iain Macnab". British Museum. Retrieved 15 February 2014.
  18. "Search for Iain Macnab". Victoria & Albert Museum. Retrieved 14 February 2014.
  19. "Iain Macnab". Room4art. Retrieved 10 February 2014.
  20. "Drying Sails, Lake Garda". University of Cambridge. Archived from the original on 22 February 2014. Retrieved 15 February 2014.
  21. "Hills near Malaga, Iain Macnab". Government Art Collection. UK Government. Archived from the original on 21 February 2014. Retrieved 15 February 2014.
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