The Glaswegian architect, designer, and painter was a man ahead of his time. His work, as imaginative and original as other artists and architects of the Art Nouveau period, also extended in other directions and became an inspiration to aspiring artists. In his own time and environment, however, Mackintosh was largely ignored. Under Francis Newberry, the director of the Glasgow School of Art, a talented nucleus of artists was established whose work gained recognition throughout Europe. Mackintosh became a draftsman in the firm of Honeyman & Keppie, later becoming a partner and designing the modern Glasgow School of Art. He also designed several modern interiors and the appropriate furniture for them. Mackintosh finally moved to France, where he dedicated himself to painting a remarkable series of original works that have become as highly prized as his furniture pieces and other designs.