A rare watercolour by Charles Rennie Mackintosh has been acquired for the nation at auction.

The Road through the Rocks was bought by the National Galleries of Scotland for £65,000.

The Road through the Rocks dates from c. 1924-25, following his move to the South of France on the advice of friends, particularly the Scottish Colourist painter, J.D. Fergusson. Here he turned his unique approach to the countryside, where the interaction between the natural and man-made intrigued him. The Fort seen here was one of Mackintosh’s favourite subjects at Port Vendres.

The Road through the Rocks was included in the 1933 Memorial Exhibition dedicated to Charles and his wife, Margaret Macdonald Mackintosh, where nearly all the later watercolours were purchased by personal friends.

The watercolour in now on show at the Scottish National Gallery.