Early work Hutchison's first public work was executed in 1852, when he was twenty years old, for
Patrick Allan Fraser HRSA. He "executed the woodcarvings and other decorations in relief for the picture gallery then in course of erection in Hospitalfield." He concentrated on portraits and busts, some with
ancient Roman themes. He exhibited a
Bust of Lawrence Macdonald Esq., HRSA, Sculptor (1860), and of
Robert Scott Lauder RSA (1859), In the same year he produced portraits of
Dr Farquharson father of
Joseph Farquharson, his friend
John Phillip, Esq., The Dundee Courier
declared that "the composition, plain and unsophisticated, devoid of all ornament, is in harmony with and fitly symbolises the life-long character of the original." 1867 saw the appearance of James Ballantine, part of the Ballantine Testimonial
, and also A Lady
, and Bust of a Lady
. In 1868 he executed James Cox, Esq., Lochee
and J. Whyte-Melville Esq., Bennochy, past Grand Master-Mason of Scotland.
His Dante was exhibited in 1869. During this decade he created two monumental statues: Adam Black (1877) in Princes Street Gardens and Robert the Bruce'' (1879) which is on Lochmaben High Street, Dumfries and Galloway; his birthplace. Lawrence Macdonald by John Hutchison, SNPG.JPG|
Lawrence Macdonald (1860) Robert the Bruce statue at Lochmaben - geograph.org.uk - 1373935.jpg|
Robert the Bruce (1879)
Increasing reputation Hutchison's increasing reputation is reflected in the number of larger commissions he received in the 1870s. They include statues, monuments and a bronze door. He began with
Coll Macdonald Macdonald (1870), and
James Falshaw, Esq., Forfar (1871). There was more work available in 1873, with
The Earl of Dalhousie, KT, GCB,
The late Archibald Watson Goldie, Esq., WS,
Nina, a Roman study,
Peter Reid, Esq., Forfar,
Mrs Lockhart Thomson,
The late Sir James Y. Simpson, Bt, MD etc.,
Emmie,
Mrs James Ballantine, and
The late William Glover, DD. In the same year he made the
Design for an alter-tomb now being erected in marble, and a
Bronze Door of Mausoleum, perspective view. In 1878 he again exhibited a version of
The late Adam Black; also
Duncan McLaren, Esq., MP, and
A Young Lady. In 1879 he showed
A Portrait,
Henry Simpson Esq.,
Rev. George R. Davidson, DD, and
The late William Jenkyns, MA, killed in defence of the British Residency, Cabul. The same year, he exhibited
A Torch Racer which had been the model for the 1887 Figure of Youth. In the 1890s Hutchison's commissions were reflecting public recognition. In 1893 he carved figures on the Scottish National Portrait Gallery, including John Knox on the west side of the building. His marble
Bust of Sir Walter Scott (1897) in
Poets' Corner in
Westminster Abbey is an homage to that of Sir
Francis Chantrey in
Abbotsford House. By 1890 Hutchison was 68 years old, and producing as much as ever. That year, he exhibited
The late Dr Andrew Combe,
The late Hon. Lord Fraser,
The late John Grigor, MD, Nairn, and the head of
Dante in marble. At the RSA Exhibition in 1890 his
Grigor was the most conspicuous piece: "an entirely realistic figure in bronze, with pilot-jacket overcoat, with wide-awake hat, as in life." 1891 brought
Bust of a Lady,
William Tod, Esq., and
The Late William Wright, LLD, Professor of Arabic, Cambridge University. In 1892 he produced
Henry Irving in the role of
Hamlet,
Baillie Harris and
Miss Harris in the
High School of Dundee,
Sir Douglas Maclagan, MD, etc., and ''Study of a Girl's Head
. 1893 brought more memorials, besides portraits to be presented with testaments. These were The Late
J. F. MacLennan, LLD, Advocate, La Penserosa
in reference to a poem by Louise Colet, The Late Mrs Barbour of Bonskied
, The Late Alexander Kilgour, MD
, Aberdeen, and Bust of a lady
. The private commissions continued throughout 1894, with James Carmichael
, Engineer, Dundee, Miss Ethel Campbell Smith
, Bust of a Lady
and The Regent Murray. His life must have become more interesting in 1895, because some projects had scope for invention: Agriculture
, Engineering
, and Study for a Head of a Colossal Statue
. Perhaps now he could afford not to accept so many private commissions by 1896. In that year he made or exhibited The late
Charles Jenner, Esq.
, and Pasquccia, Roman study
, and Study of a Girl's Head
. In 1897 he showed William McEwan, Esq., MP
, George Buchanan, humanist and reformer, and The late Charles U. Aitchison, KCSI
, Lieut-Governor of the Punjab, for the Aitchison College, Lahore. In 1898 he created Dante
, Ravenna. His portrait of Professor
George James Allman'' is undated, but Allman died in 1898. Douglas Maclagan by John Hutchison.jpg|
Douglas Maclagan (1887) Tombstone of Royal Stewarts at Paisley Abbey.JPG|
Royal Stewarts memorial (1889) at Paisley Abbey Statue of John Knox in New College Edinburgh.JPG|
John Knox (1895), New College Edinburgh
Last years '' (1905) In his last decade, Hutchison exhibited only until 1905, and to begin with in 1900 he only showed one work:
The late Professor William Rutherford, MD, FRS, Professor of Physiology, Edinburgh University. In 1901 he showed three works from previous years:
Pasquecia,
Her late Majesty the Queen, and
Il Condottiere, besides new works including
The Good Shepherd,
Rev. David Macrae,
Aeneas J. G. Mackay, Esq., KC, Sheriff of Fife & Kinross and Henrietta. In 1902 he again showed
Bust of lady and
Study of a Roman Girl, along with the new work
James Grahame,
Marquis of Montrose. In 1903 he produced
Thomas Aird, and
A Florentine. In 1905 he showed his last exhibited work,
Sir John Batty Tuke, MD, MP. ==Anecdotes from his career==