Dictionary of National Biography, 1885-1900/Hopwood, James
HOPWOOD, JAMES (1752?–1819), engraver, born at Beverley in Yorkshire about 1752, took to engraving at the age of forty-five, as a means of supporting a family of six children. By industry he succeeded in engraving and publishing two plates, on the strength of which he came to London, where James Heath permitted him to work at his profession in his house. By assiduous work he gained some experience and employment in his profession, though he never attained any great reputation. Hopwood was elected in 1813 secretary to the Artists' Benevolent Fund, and held the post till 1818, when he resigned through illness. He published, in 1812, a pamphlet in defence of that society. He died 29 Sept. 1819. A portrait of Hopwood, from a drawing by A. Cooper, R.A., will be found in Pye's ‘Patronage of British Art’ (p. 335).
Hopwood, James, the younger (fl. 1800–1850), engraver, son of the above, followed his father's profession, and engraved in the stipple manner. He designed and engraved illustrations for books, and was employed in engraving for Finden's ‘Byron’ and some of the annuals. Subsequently he went to Paris, where he was very extensively employed in engraving portraits on a small scale for the numerous collections of portraits published at that time. Some of these have merit, but his style did not command much attention, being almost the last survival of the school of stipple-engraving. Ferdinand Gaillard, the well-known French engraver, received his first lessons in his art from Hopwood.
Hopwood, William (1784–1853), another son of James Hopwood the elder, also practised as an engraver, and was employed in book-illustrations, but did not obtain much reputation. He died in 1853.
[Redgrave's Dict. of Artists; Nagler's Künstler-Lexikon; Pye's Patronage of British Art; Beraldi's Graveurs du XIXe Siècle; Le Blanc's Manuel de l'Amateur d'Estampes.]