Charles Hopkinson

1869 - 1962

Charles Hopkinson, a long time resident of Manchester, Massachusetts, was one of the most successful and sought after portrait painters in America during the first half of the 20th century. In the course of his 60 year career he created more than 700 portraits including two of United States presidents, four of Supreme Court Justices and 65 of university presidents, deans and professors. He was also part of the team of artists selected by the National Art Committee in 1919 to paint portraits of the delegates to the Versailles Peace Conference.

While primarily known was a portraitist, watercolor was a medium that Hopkinson experimented with and enjoyed throughout his long and illustrious career. Working outdoors with rapid, broken brushstrokes, Hopkinson's watercolors are direct and spontaneous, fresh reactions to the scene around him. While his compositions can seem deceptively simple, each was thoughtfully conceived and executed with careful attention to capturing a sense of depth and perspective.