Identity:

George Edward Hopkins was an artist and printmaker.

Life:

Hopkins studied art at the Royal Academy in Munich. Travelling to Italy in 1880, he joined a colony of American painters established by Frank Duveneck. In Venice the 'Duveneck boys', a group which also included John White Alexander, Otto Henry Bacher, Robert Frederick Blum, Charles Abel Corwin, Harper Pennington, Julius Rolshoven and Theodore M. Wendel, formed friendships with Whistler and Henry James. The young painters were in awe of Whistler's experience and reputation. Whistler, who enjoyed their admiration, happily discussed his work and gave advice to the students. He used to come and sketch from the windows of the Casa Jankowitz on the Riva San Biagio in Castello where the group were staying.

In 1880 Whistler made a watercolour sketch of his mistress Maud Franklin reading in a hammock, Maud Reading, in a Hammock (M.780), in the rooms of Mrs Hopkins, who was living next door at the Riva degli Schiavoni. Whistler gave the sketch to Mrs Hopkins on its completion.

The influence that Whistler had on Hopkins is evident in the subsequent etchings that he produced. On his return to the States he worked as a teacher.

Bibliography:

Bacher, Otto, 'With Whistler in Venice', The Century Magazine, vol. 73, no. 2, December 1906, pp. 217-18; Bacher, O., 'Stories of Whistler', The Century Magazine, vol. 743, no. 1, May 1907, pp. 100-11; Bacher, O., With Whistler in Venice, New York, 1908; MacDonald, Margaret F., Palaces in the Night: Whistler in Venice, London, 2001.