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Henry Hudson Kitson

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Sir Henry Hudson Kitson (April 9, 1864 – June 26, 1947) was an English sculptor who worked in the United States where he sculpted many representations of American military heroes. Often known as H. H. Kitson when born he was named Harry in Huddersfield, West Yorkshire, England and died at Tyringham, Massachusetts. In the early 1900s he sculpted a marble bust of Romania's Queen Elisabeth, who later knighted him.

His student and first wife, Theo Alice Ruggles Kitson was a sculptor too and his brothers, John William Kitson, Samuel James Kitson, and Robert Lewellen Kitson, also had art careers in the United States.

Harry, as he was known by his numererous brothers and sisters, migrated to the United States about 1877/8 where he apprenticed with his oldest brother John William Kitson. William Kitson was in business with another Englishman Robert Ellin; their firm, Ellin & Kitson, were identified as architectural sculptors. They specialized in interior carving and wood work in commercial structures and churches. Some buildings they worked on were the Equitable Building, the Tilden Mansion, the Astor Memorial Redos and the William K. Vanderbilt House.

Harry and Samuel James Kitson the next oldest brother were both associated with Ellin & Kitson doing sculptural work. According to family oral history, William now quite successful encouraged and financially provided for Harry Kitson to move to Paris 1n 1882 where he studied at the École des Beaux-Arts under the sculptor [[Jean-Marie Bonnassieux] and sculptor Dumont. Kitson also was enrolled in the Ecole nationale superieure des Artes Decoratifs studying under Millet and Ganter. He returned first in 1884/5 to NYC to his eldest brother William's business but soon after removed to Boston where his sculptor brother Sam had established a studio. Once there Kitson received numerous commissions and began teaching. John William Kitson died in 1888 (see NY Times) and Samuel James had returned to Boston after a stay in Washington DC. The youngest brother Robert Lewellen Kitson a water-colorist joined his older brothers in Boston about 1902.

In 1893 Henry married Theo Alice Ruggles, a former student of his, who went on to have a successful career of her own as Theo Alice Ruggles Kitson. Theo and Harry had three children: Theo (called Babs), John, who became a civil engineer, and Dorothy. None of the children had issue. The noted sculptor Gaston Lachaise worked in his atelier. Many of Henry Hudson Kitson papers are in the Archives of American Art in Washington, D.C. as well as the New York Historical Society. Kitson only carried a British passport.

He was the author of numerous public monuments, and left behind his home, Santarella, in Tyringham. The home, which Kitson modified extensively, was recently restored and now operates as a special events venue as well as providing overnight accommodation.

Selected works

References

Family letters, business letters, photos and other documents held by family historian

  • Frank Torrey Robinson, "Living New England Artists: Biographical Sketches...", S. E. Cassino, Publisher Boston 1888 pgs 113-119
  • Columbia Publishing Company, MA {(Massachusetts Of Today: A Memorial of the State, Historical and Biographical)}, 1892 by Toomey & Juinn, Page 172

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