THE HOPTON PORTRAITS – PORTRAIT OF EDWARD MICHAEL HOPTON and PORTRAIT OF GUY WILLIAM HOPTON.

Images: unattributed sources.

  • Title(s): Portrait of Edward Michael Hopton / Portrait of Guy William Hopton (this web site).
  • Description: “Portrait of Guy William Hopton, three-quarter-length, in a blue embroidered smock; and Portrait of Edward Michael Hopton, three-quarter-length, in a blue embroidered smock” (Christie’s, 1998); “Girl standing full length / Boy standing three-quarter length” (Rosebery’s, 2007).
  • Media: “oil on canvas” (Christie’s, 1998; Toovey, 2000, re: Portrait of Guy William Hopton; Sotheby’s, 2007; Rosebery’s, 2007).
  • Dimensions: average: 90.9 x 60.3 cm; “36 x 24in. (91.4 x 60.8cm.)” (Christie’s, 1998); “90 x 60 cm” (Toovey, 2000, re: Portrait of Guy William Hopton); “each 92×60.5cm.; 36¼x23¾in” (Sotheby’s, 2007); “90 x 59.7 cm” (Rosebery’s, 2007).
  • Signature/date/other text: “both signed and dated ‘Annie L Swynnerton/1890’ (lower right) … inscribed ‘Guy William Hopton born Nov 1881/eldest son of Sir .. E & Lady Hopton/1890’ and ‘Edw. Michael Hopton born Sept 16 1884/2nd son of Sir Edw & Lady Hopton/1890’ respectively (on the stretcher)” (Christie’s, 1998); “Signed dated” (Toovey, 2000, re: Portrait of Guy William Hopton); “signed and dated 1890” (Sotherby’s, 2007).
  • History:
    • 1890 – “dated” (Christie’s, 1998; Rosenery’s, 2007).
    • 1998 Nov 12 – Auctioned Christie’s, London, lot 111, “a pair (2)”, sold: hammer £2,600, premium £2,990.
    • 2000 Mar 10 – Auctioned Rupert Toovey & Co., Washington, West Sussex [dead link], lot 1695, “Qty: 2 / Signed dated / Illustrated on page 48 of the catalog”, sold: hammer £3,000.
    • 2007 – Auctioned Sotheby’s, Olympia, 21 Mar, lot 112, “Portrait of Guy William Hopton; Portrait of Edward Michael Hopton a pair”, passed.
    • 2007 – Auctioned Rosebery’s, London, 11 Dec, lot 1090, “Girl standing full length / Boy standing three-quarter length / Illustrated on page 70 of the catalog”, sold: hammer £1,500.
  • Location: ?

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.

Page last updated 8 Nov 2025.