At an early age Allen Hutchinson joined the British Navy, but returned to London in the late 1870s to study sculpture under Edouard Lanteri. By 1883, he began exhibiting at the Royal Academy in London, and also traveled to Paris, Berlin, Naples and Rome for additional studies.

Becoming interested in racial types, Huchinson journeyed to Canada in 1886, studying the Indians of North America. From British Columbia he briefly visited California in 1888, but continued on to Hawaii where he met several artists from San Francisco. Because of these connections, Hutchinson was allowed to make a life masks and bust of King Kalakaua. He also made a bust of Robert Louis Stevenson when the author visited the Island in 1893.

With three other artists he founded the Kilohana Art League of Honolulu, and at one of their exhibitions displayed a bust of Hawaiian president Sanford B. Dole. While in Hawaii, Hutchinson sent work back for exhibition in England and returned there in early 1895.

Later that year he traveled to San Francisco, and then back to Hawaii where he produced several anthropological figures for the Bishop Museum. In 1897, he traveled to Australia where he joined and exhibited with the society of Artists in Sydney. Remaining only two years, he next traveled to New Zealand where he made studies of the Maoris.

Returning to the United States in 1902, Huchinson became involved with the sculptural decorations for the 1904 St. LouisWorld's Fair. After the fair, he moved to Southern California, staying intially in San Bernardino. Hutchinson moved to San Diego in the Summer of 1906, and received the appointment as British Vice-Consul in December of that year. Active in social circles, he lectured on art and gave modeling demonstrations for the San Diego Art Association. He also assisted with the organization of several British societies in San Diego.

At the request of several prominent citizens, Huchinson modeled a bust of Alonzo Horton, "Father" of New San Diego. A drive to raise funds to have the bust cast in bronze did not succeed (it was finally cast in 1980). For the Order of Panama, he produced a relief plaque of Juan Rodriguez Carbrillo as well as model for proposed 150 foot tall status of Cabrillo to be placed on Point Loma.

After the death of his wife in 1915, Hutchinson resigned as British Vice-Consul and left San Diego. He set up a studio in New York City where he apparently remained until 1928, when he returned to London. In 1927 he made five additional casts of his bust of Robert Louis Stevenson and sold the orginal to the Stevenson Society of America.

Source:
http://www.sandiegohistory.org/journal/89summer/sculptors.htm

(Ref. AAA 1927; Mac Phail, Elizabeth, "Allen Hutchinson: British Sculptors (1855-1929)" JSHD Vol. XIX, No. 2 (Spring, 1973); Moure)

Allen Hutchinson was born in Staffordshire, England on Jan. 8, 1855. At an early age Hutchinson joined the British Navy, but returned to London in the late 1870s to study sculpture under Edouard Lanteri. By 1883 he was exhibiting at the Royal Academy and then further studied in Paris, Berlin, Naples, and Rome.

Having become interested in racial types, he traveled to Canada in 1886 to study the Indians of that area. He then went to Hawaii where he cofounded the Kilohana Art League and did portrait busts of Robert Louis Stevenson, Sanford Dole, and King Kalakaua.

By 1897 he was in Australia where he joined and exhibited with the Society of Artists in Sydney. In 1906 he was named British vice consul to San Diego and was active there and in Los Angeles until the death of his wife in 1915.

Hutchinson then set up a studio in NYC and worked there until 1928. Returning to England, he died in London on July 28, 1929.

Exhibition:
San Francisco Art Association, 1887;
Mechanics' Inst. (SF), 1897.

Works held in Public Places: San Diego Historical Society.

Exhibition:
National Academy of Design, 1925.