These paintings are usually listed on auction sites as being sold as a pair, but the information in sometimes unclear about which portrait is which. One source identifies the portrait of Edward as a girl.
Edward Michael Hopton (1884-1916), aged 5 or 6, and Guy William Hopton, aged 8 or 9 (1881-1915), were the sons of Lieutenant General Sir Edward Hopton KCB DL JP and Clare Ellen Trafford. Both sons died during the Great War, Edward of pneumonia while on service in Egypt and Guy in action on the Western Front.
PORTRAIT OF EDWARD MICHAEL HOPTON.
Image: composited from www.artnet.com and www.findartinfo.com.
PORTRAIT OF GUY WILLIAM HOPTON.
Image: www.sothebys.com.
- Media: oil on canvas.
- Dimensions: each painting 610 x 915 mm (0.56 m²), Christie’s; 600 x 900 mm (0.54 m²), Toovey; 608 x 914 (0.56 m²), Sotheby’s; 597 x 900 (0.54 m²), Roseby’s; average 604 x 907 mm (0.55 m²).
- History: signed and dated 1890; auctioned Christie’s, London, 12 Nov 1998, sold; auctioned Rupert Toovey & Co., West Sussex, 10 Mar 2000, sold; auctioned Sotheby’s, Olympia, 21 Mar 2007, unsold; auctioned Rosebery’s, London, 11 Dec 2007, “Girl standing full length / Boy standing three-quarter length”, sold.
- Location: unknown.