Archives of American Art

A Finding Aid to the Charles Hopkinson Papers, 1892-1993, in the Archives of American Art

Summary

Collection ID:
AAA.hopkchar
Creators:
Hopkinson, Charles, 1869-1962
Dates:
1892-1993
Languages:
The collection is in English.
Physical Description:
1.4 Linear feet
Repository:
The papers of Massachusetts portait painter and watercolorist Charles Hopkinson date from 1892 to 1993 and measure 1.4 linear feet. The papers are comprised primarily of 17 sketchbooks and loose sketches. Also found are printed materials and three photographs of Hopkinson, as well as writings about Hopkinson written by his daughter Joan Hopkinson Shurcliff and her husband William Shurcliff.
Also found at the Archives is a small miscellaneous manuscript collection of five letters to Chauncey Stillman from Charles Hopkinson.

Scope and Contents

Scope and Contents
The papers of Massachusetts portrait painter and watercolorist Charles Hopkinson date from 1892 to 1993 and measure 1.4 linear feet. The papers are comprised primarily of 17 sketchbooks and loose sketches. Also found are printed materials and three photographs of Hopkinson, as well as writings about Hopkinson written by his daughter Joan Hopkinson Shurcliff and her husband William Shurcliff.

Arrangement

Arrangement
The collection is arranged as 4 series.
  • Missing Title
  • Series 1: Writings and Notes, 1987-1993 (0.2 linear feet; Box 1)
  • Series 2: Printed Material, 1988-1991 (2 folders; Box 1)
  • Series 3: Photographs, 1938-1961 (1 folder; Box 1)
  • Series 4: Sketchbooks and Artwork, 1892-1957 (1.2 linear feet; Box 1-3)

Biographical / Historical

Biographical / Historical
Portrait and watercolor painter Charles Hopkinson (1869-1962) was active in Cambridge, Massachusetts.
Charles Hopkinson was born in Cambridge, Massachusetts to Mary Watson and John Prentiss Hopkinson. He attended his father's school, Hopkinson School and later Harvard University. As a result of summers spent sailing and sketching boats in Northeast Harbor, Maine, he developed a love of art. After drawing cartoons for the Harvard Lampoon, Hopkinson decided to pursue a career as an artist. He studied at the Art Student's League and Académie Julian. Charles Hopkinson was noted for his oil portraits but showed his watercolors with the "Boston Five." He exhibited his works in Boston and New York City.
Hopkinson married fellow art student Angelica Rathbone in 1893. The pair divorced by 1899 while living in France. Afterwards, Hopkinson travelled to Roscoff, Brittany where he produced many watercolor and oil paintings. He returned to Massachusetts and married Elinor Curtis in 1903. Together, they had five daughters, Harriot (Mrs. Alfred Rive), Mary (Mrs. John Heysham Gibbon, Jr. later Mrs. Lovell Thompson), Isabella (Mrs. James Addison Halsted), Elinor (Mrs. James Henderson Barr), and Joan (Mrs. William Asahel Shurcliff).

Administration

Author
Jayna M. Josefson
Sponsor
Funding for the processing of this collection was provided by the Terra Foundation for American Art
Immediate Source of Acquisition
Portions of the collection were loaned for microfilming between 1969-1973. Charles Hopkinson's daughters and granddaughters, Joan Hopkinson Shurcliff, Harriot Rive, Elinor Barr, Mrs. John M. Clarke and Mrs. James Masek, donated additional material in 1973 and 1992.
Processing Information
Portions of the Charles Hopkinson and Hopkinson family papers were arranged upon receipt and microfilmed onto reel 4782. Later, the collection was donated along with six additional sketchbooks in 1992. In 2013, Jayna Josefson processed the papers with funding provided by the Archives of American Art.
Separated Materials
The Archives of American Art also holds microfilm of material lent for microfilming (reels N-68-106, 482, 486, 515, 634-639) including biographical material, family correspondence, writings, business records, printed materials, and 96 sketchbooks. While six of the sketchbooks were later donated, all other loaned materials was returned to the lender and are not described in the collection container inventory.
Existence and Location of Copies
Material lent for microfilming is available on 35mm microfilm reels N-68-106, 482, 486, 515, 634-639 at Archives of American Art offices and through interlibrary loan.

Using the Collection

Conditions Governing Access
Use of original papers requires an appointment and is limited to the Archives' Washington, D.C. research center. Please contact reference services for more information.
Terms of Use
The Archives of American Art makes its archival collections available for non-commercial, educational and personal use unless restricted by copyright and/or donor restrictions, including but not limited to access and publication restrictions. AAA makes no representations concerning such rights and restrictions and it is the user's responsibility to determine whether rights or restrictions exist and to obtain any necessary permission to access, use, reproduce and publish the collections. Please refer to the Smithsonian's Terms of Use for additional information.
Preferred Citation
Charles Hopkinson and Hopkinson family papers, 1892-1993. Archives of American Art, Smithsonian Institution.

Keywords

Keywords table of terms and types.
Keyword Terms Keyword Types
Watercolorists -- Massachusetts Occupation Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Sketches Genre Form Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Sketchbooks Genre Form Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Portrait painters -- Massachusetts Occupation Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Painters -- Massachusetts Occupation Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Photographs Genre Form Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Shurcliff, Joan Hopkinson Personal Name Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Shurcliff, William A. Personal Name Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid

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