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 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 Fine Arts] accessed 10/2/2004
His work was shown in the British pavilion at the Venice Biennale of 1930.
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.
Macnab was hereditary armourer and standard bearer to the Macnab of Macnab.
Macnab died in London on 24 December 1967.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 Reprinted 1973, Norwood Editions, USA Revised second edition 1940 Reprinted 1947 Wood-engravings by Iain Macnab
Public collections Works by Macnab are in the following public collections: British Museum Kelvingrove Art Gallery, Glasgow Victoria and Albert Museum, London Ashmolean Museum, Oxford Fitzwilliam Museum, Cambridge British Council UK Government Art Collection Government of Canada Government of New Zealand
Arts organisations Macnab was a member of the following arts organisations: Royal Institute of Oil Painters, president (at his death in 1967) Imperial Arts League, chairman National Society of Painters, Sculptors and Engravers, fellow Royal Society of Painter-Etchers and Engravers, honorary auditor
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