Macdonald watercolours discovered

Shameful Death is one of the watercolours by Margaret Macdonald

A series of previously unseen watercolours by the wife of Charles Rennie Mackintosh and her sister has been discovered in the US.

The 21 paintings by Margaret and Frances Macdonald depict scenes from Arthurian legends.

They were found by staff at The State University of New York.

The watercolours, which date from the 1890s, will be on show from 12 August at the Hunterian Art Gallery, as part of the Glasgow Mackintosh Festival.

Pamela Robertson, curator of the University of Glasgow's Mackintosh Collection, said: "It is the most exciting find of recent years."

Late 19th Century Britain was captivated by Arthurian art inspired by Sir Thomas Malory's 15th Century epic Le Morte d'Arthur.

Margaret Macdonald, who was born in Wolverhampton in 1864, attended the Glasgow School of Art. Her work was labelled "Spook" art because of its symbolism and spiritual influences.