Iain Macnab

{{About|the Scottish artist|the English singer-songwriter|Ian McNabb}}

{{Infobox artist

| name = Iain Macnab

| image =MacNab s.jpeg

| imagesize =

| alt = A landscape etching by Iain Macnab, Spring Landscape, Tossa c1945 showing a farmworker, village and rural scene in fine detail.

| caption = Iain Macnab, Spring Landscape, Tossa {{circa}} 1945

| birth_name = Iain Macnab of Barachastlain

| birth_date = {{Birth date|df=yes|1890|10|21}}

| birth_place = Iloilo, Philippines

| death_date = {{Death date and age|df=yes|1967|12|24|1890|10|21}}

| death_place = London, England

| nationality = British

| field = Wood-engraver and painter

| training = Glasgow School of Art, Heatherley's School of Fine Art

| movement =

| works =

| patrons =

| awards =

}}

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.Hal Bishop, 'Macnab, Iain, of Barachastlain (1890–1967)’, Oxford Dictionary of National Biography, Oxford University Press, 2004 [http://www.oxforddnb.com/view/article/64517, accessed 30 June 2009] 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.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.{{cite web|title=British Pavilion in Venice|url=http://venicebiennale.britishcouncil.org/timeline/1930|publisher=British Council|access-date=10 February 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140511201737/http://venicebiennale.britishcouncil.org/timeline/1930|archive-date=11 May 2014|url-status=dead}}

Early life

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.

Education

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.{{cite book|author=David Buckman|publisher=Art Dictionaries Ltd|year=2006|title=Artists in Britain Since 1945 Vol 2, M to Z |isbn=0-953260-95-X}}

Macnab was hereditary armourer and standard bearer to the Macnab of Macnab.{{cite news|title=Flag bearer to the Macnab dies aged 77|url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=2507&dat=19671226&id=2nhAAAAAIBAJ&pg=4582,3914517|access-date=10 February 2014|newspaper=The Herald|location=Glasgow|date=26 December 1967|page=9}}

Macnab died in London on 24 December 1967.{{cite news|title=Mr Iain Macnab (obituary)|newspaper=The Times|date=27 December 1967|page=10}}Benezit Dictionary of British Graphic Artists and Illustrators, Volume 1 By Oxford University Press His younger sister Chica Macnab was also an artist.

Published works

{{cite book|last=Macnab|first=Iain|title=Nicht at Eenie : the bairns' Parnassus / With wood-engravings by Iain MacNab|year=1932|publisher=Sampson Press|location=Warlingham, Surrey|isbn=9780883054222}}{{cite web|title=Nicht at Eenie : the bairns' Parnassus / With wood-engravings by Iain MacNab|url=http://amicus.collectionscanada.gc.ca/aaweb-bin/aamain/itemdisp?sessionKey=999999999_142&l=0&d=2&v=0&lvl=1&itm=29508023|archive-url=https://archive.today/20140215011451/http://amicus.collectionscanada.gc.ca/aaweb-bin/aamain/itemdisp?sessionKey=999999999_142&l=0&d=2&v=0&lvl=1&itm=29508023|url-status=dead|archive-date=15 February 2014|publisher=Library and Archives, Canada|access-date=15 February 2014}} Reprinted 1973, Norwood Editions, USA{{cite web|title=Nicht at Eenie : the bairns' Parnassus / With wood-engravings by Iain MacNab|url=http://amicus.collectionscanada.gc.ca/aaweb-bin/aamain/itemdisp?sessionKey=999999999_142&l=0&d=2&v=0&lvl=1&itm=19748701|archive-url=https://archive.today/20140215012355/http://amicus.collectionscanada.gc.ca/aaweb-bin/aamain/itemdisp?sessionKey=999999999_142&l=0&d=2&v=0&lvl=1&itm=19748701|url-status=dead|archive-date=15 February 2014|publisher=Library and Archives, Canada|access-date=15 February 2014}}
{{cite book|last=Macnab|first=Iain|title=Figure drawing|year=1936|publisher=The Studio|location=London and New York}}{{cite web|title=Figure drawing / [by] Iain Macnab|url=http://amicus.collectionscanada.gc.ca/aaweb-bin/aamain/itemdisp?sessionKey=999999999_142&l=0&d=2&v=0&lvl=1&itm=24788703|archive-url=https://archive.today/20140215013140/http://amicus.collectionscanada.gc.ca/aaweb-bin/aamain/itemdisp?sessionKey=999999999_142&l=0&d=2&v=0&lvl=1&itm=24788703|url-status=dead|archive-date=15 February 2014|publisher=Library and Archives, Canada|access-date=15 February 2014}} Revised second edition 1940{{cite web|title=Macnab, Iain, 1890-1967, Figure Drawing|url=http://amicus.collectionscanada.gc.ca/aaweb-bin/aamain/itemdisp?sessionKey=999999999_142&l=0&d=2&v=0&lvl=1&itm=6000096|archive-url=https://archive.today/20140215020951/http://amicus.collectionscanada.gc.ca/aaweb-bin/aamain/itemdisp?sessionKey=999999999_142&l=0&d=2&v=0&lvl=1&itm=6000096|url-status=dead|archive-date=15 February 2014|publisher=Library and Archives, Canada|access-date=15 February 2014}}
{{cite book|last=Macnab|first=Iain|title=The Student's book of wood-engraving|year=1938|publisher=Sir Isaac Pitman|location=London}}{{cite web|title=Macnab, Iain, 1890-1967. Student's book of wood-engraving. 1938|url=http://amicus.collectionscanada.gc.ca/aaweb-bin/aamain/itemdisp?sessionKey=999999999_142&l=0&d=2&v=0&lvl=1&itm=24802487|archive-url=https://archive.today/20140215020047/http://amicus.collectionscanada.gc.ca/aaweb-bin/aamain/itemdisp?sessionKey=999999999_142&l=0&d=2&v=0&lvl=1&itm=24802487|url-status=dead|archive-date=15 February 2014|publisher=Library and Archives, Canada|access-date=15 February 2014}} Reprinted 1947{{cite web|title=Macnab, Iain, 1890-1967. Student's book of wood-engraving. 1947|url=http://amicus.collectionscanada.gc.ca/aaweb-bin/aamain/itemdisp?sessionKey=999999999_142&l=0&d=2&v=0&lvl=1&itm=21581900|archive-url=https://archive.today/20140215014025/http://amicus.collectionscanada.gc.ca/aaweb-bin/aamain/itemdisp?sessionKey=999999999_142&l=0&d=2&v=0&lvl=1&itm=21581900|url-status=dead|archive-date=15 February 2014|publisher=Library and Archives, Canada|access-date=15 February 2014}}
{{cite book|last=Browning|first=Robert|authorlink=Robert Browning|title=Selected Poems|year=1938|publisher=Penguin Books|location=Harmondsworth}} Wood-engravings by Iain Macnab{{cite web|title=Browning, Robert, 1812-1889. Poems. Selections. 1938|url=http://amicus.collectionscanada.gc.ca/aaweb-bin/aamain/itemdisp?sessionKey=999999999_142&l=0&d=2&v=0&lvl=1&itm=19822194|archive-url=https://archive.today/20140215022134/http://amicus.collectionscanada.gc.ca/aaweb-bin/aamain/itemdisp?sessionKey=999999999_142&l=0&d=2&v=0&lvl=1&itm=19822194|url-status=dead|archive-date=15 February 2014|publisher=Library and Archives, Canada|access-date=15 February 2014}}
{{cite book|last=Landor|first=Walter Savage|authorlink=Walter Savage Landor|title=The sculptured garland: A selection from the lyrical poems of Walter Savage Landor|year=1948|publisher=Dropmore Press|location=London|isbn=978-0841457096|url=http://amicus.collectionscanada.gc.ca/aaweb-bin/aamain/itemdisp?sessionKey=999999999_142&l=0&d=2&v=0&lvl=1&itm=5691569|archive-url=https://archive.today/20140215005700/http://amicus.collectionscanada.gc.ca/aaweb-bin/aamain/itemdisp?sessionKey=999999999_142&l=0&d=2&v=0&lvl=1&itm=5691569|url-status=dead|archive-date=15 February 2014|others=Macnab, Iain (illust)|editor=Richard Buxton}}{{cite web|title=The sculptured garland : a selection from the lyrical poems of Walter Savage Landor|url=http://amicus.collectionscanada.gc.ca/aaweb-bin/aamain/itemdisp?sessionKey=999999999_142&l=0&d=2&v=0&lvl=1&itm=5691569|archive-url=https://archive.today/20140215005700/http://amicus.collectionscanada.gc.ca/aaweb-bin/aamain/itemdisp?sessionKey=999999999_142&l=0&d=2&v=0&lvl=1&itm=5691569|url-status=dead|archive-date=15 February 2014|publisher=Library and Archives, Canada|access-date=15 February 2014}}

Public collections

Works by Macnab are in the following public collections:

British Museum{{cite web|title=Search for Iain Macnab|url=https://www.britishmuseum.org/research/collection_online/search.aspx?searchText=iain+macnab|publisher=British Museum|access-date=15 February 2014}}
Kelvingrove Art Gallery, Glasgow
Victoria and Albert Museum, London{{cite web|title=Search for Iain Macnab|url=https://collections.vam.ac.uk/search/?q=macnab%2C+Iain&name%5B%5D=58963|publisher=Victoria & Albert Museum|access-date=14 February 2014}}
Ashmolean Museum, Oxford{{cite web|title=Iain Macnab|work=Room4art|url=http://www.room4art.com/artist-info/iain-macnab/|access-date=10 February 2014}}
Fitzwilliam Museum, Cambridge{{cite web|title=Drying Sails, Lake Garda|url=http://www.fitzmuseum.cam.ac.uk/dept/pdp/opac/cataloguedetail.html?&priref=6023&_function_=xslt&_limit_=10|publisher=University of Cambridge|access-date=15 February 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140222020604/http://www.fitzmuseum.cam.ac.uk/dept/pdp/opac/cataloguedetail.html?&priref=6023&_function_=xslt&_limit_=10|archive-date=22 February 2014|url-status=dead}}
British Council{{cite web|title=Iain Macnab (1890 − 1967)|url=http://collection.britishcouncil.org/collection/artist/5/18330|work=British Council Collection|publisher=British Council|access-date=10 February 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140222043004/http://collection.britishcouncil.org/collection/artist/5/18330|archive-date=22 February 2014|url-status=dead}}
UK Government Art Collection{{cite web|title=Hills near Malaga, Iain Macnab|url=http://www.gac.culture.gov.uk/work.aspx?obj=10220|work=Government Art Collection|publisher=UK Government|access-date=15 February 2014|archive-date=21 February 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140221160612/http://www.gac.culture.gov.uk/work.aspx?obj=10220|url-status=dead}}
Government of Canada
Government of New Zealand