HOPKINS, Marion (1934)

Marion Hopkins’ mother was Maude Hopkinson, the daughter of Daniel Hopkinson and Mrs Mary (Beers) Hopkinson, who had lived in New York before Daniel Hopkinson’s death in 1884. He had been editor and proprietor of the Jewelers’ Circular and Horological Review.  In 1897, Mrs. Mary (Beers) Hopkinson, was living at 74 Commonwealth Avenue, Boston, and with her lived her father, William L. Beers, and her son-in-law and daughter, Louis Hopkins and Maude Hopkinson Hopkins.

Louis L. Hopkins was born in Jersey City, NJ, on 14 July 1869, the son of Charles A. and Sarah Louise (Austin) Hopkins, and educated at Yale (1891, the Law faculty I think) but did not finish his course but left at the end of his second year, and became manager of the Boston office of the Mutual Life Insurance Company of New York.  He married Maude Hopkinson 5 April 1895. The Hopkins’ apparently maintained a summer home in Manchester. The Hopkins’ moved to 344 Marlborough Street, Boston, during the 1903-1904 winter season, but had rejoined Mary Hopkinson at 74 Commonwealth Avenue, Boston by 1905, and continued to live there to 1907. They appear to have moved to New York in 1908 where Louis Hopkins is recorded as general manager of the Union Central Life Insurance Company and living at 1 Madison Avenue. On 26 February 1913 the New York Times recorded that Louis L. Hopkins was retiring as President of the Life Underwriters’ Association.

—

On Monday, 19 March 1934, Muller-Ury recorded in his diary that he was painting Marion Hopkinson Hopkins.  This would evidently be for the second time and of course depicted her as an adult, and this is surely the picture in the Wildenstein show, and some of the entries, roughly translated read:

JANUARY 11, 1934

N.Y. At Mrs. Hopkinson Hopkins I met Miss Colgate Moore – lovely lady and Mrs. Hollands. Her daughter Marion is always more beautiful and she would like another portrait and for sure she ought to make an ideal portrait with such ideal body proportions and face and also sweet expression.

MARCH 16, 1934

Marion and Mrs Hopkinson Hopkins came to visit me and take lunch…

MARCH 19, 1934

Monday. I am painting Miss Marion Hopkins Hopkinson and I am going to paint a beautiful work of this young and most interesting lady…

MARCH 21, 1934

N.Y. I am painting Marion Hopkins and I am making progress, but I am not content with the work.

MARCH 27, 1934

N.Y. Tuesday. I am painting Miss Marion Hopkins. And to finish this work will be pleasure enough with this beautiful young woman on the canvas.

APRIL 21, 1934

N.Y. Saturday. Saw Miss Marion Hopkins and mother and they are enthusiastic of the portrait of Marion.

MAY 8, 1934

Miss Marion goes anonymously in the theatre in The Chocolate Soldier – and her mother is frantic and I can well understand this – I believe she makes a magnificent effect.

FEBRUARY 28 1935 NY. With Miss Hopkinson I went to the opera to see Tristan and Isolde…Miss Marion Hopkins was happy to go with me, and to me is always a darling. Her mother wishes that I could be like a father to her…

NOVEMBER 30, 1936 Mon. Yesterday evening at the Lotos Club with Captain Jaffrey, Mrs. Toni [      ] Miss Marion Hopkins and Miss Bixby for the great dinner and all the Co. of the Gilbert and Sullivan Opera Company – what pleasure to listen to these grand singers – I am sure that they are all happy in such company and with such a dinner.