1900s

1903

Moves to London, where he works in the Deutsche Bank and takes up photography as a hobby. Elected as a member of the Royal Photographic Society (RPS).

1905

Two works are selected for exhibition at the RPS Salon, (Memento Mori and Brunette). Marries Marion Josephine Wilhelmina Bliersbach at Fulham Registry Office.

1906–7

Regular prize-winner and exhibitor at photographic exhibitions and awarded a Fellowship of the Royal Photographic Society (FRPS).

1907

October: opens his first studio, at 10 Margravine Gardens, near Barons Court.

1908

15 August: Hoppé’s first press photograph is published in the Daily Mirror taken at the Franco-British Exhibition, White City, London.

1909

With Sir Benjamin Stone, represents Great Britain at the International Exhibition of Photography at Dresden.

1909–10

Co-founder of London Salon of Photograph, which succeeds the Linked Ring Salon, Hoppé exhibits four subject pictures and a portrait of Sara De Groote.

1910s

1910

April–May: first one-man exhibition, of seventy-two photographs, at Royal Photographic Society, RPS House, 55 Russell Square.

1911

Moves to larger studio at 59 Baker Street. Photographs leading members of Diaghilev’s Russian Ballet.

1912

Hoppé naturalised as a British citizen. 18 January: first child, Frank Sidney Hoppé born.

1913

February: One-man exhibition at Goupil Gallery. Moves his studio to 7 Cromwell Place, South Kensington, and renames it Millais House.

1914

New art magazine, Colour, launched Hoppé is art editor and contributes reviews, designs, drawings.

1915

14 December: second child, Muriel Marion Hoppé born.

1916

Launch of British Vogue in September includes photographs by Hoppé who contributes editorial and society photographs to early issues.

1917

Founder and committee member of The Plough Theatre Club. Members include architect Charles Rennie Mackintosh who designs the extension for the Hoppé family home at Little Hedgecourt, Sussex.

1920s

1920 16 August

The New York Times announces the arrival of Hoppé in the USA on the Caronia in search of beauties for the proposed The Book of Fair Women.

1921

Takes portrait sittings in his New York studio on 57th Street including film stars: Anna Q. Nilsson, Lilian Gish, Mary Miles Minter, Marion Davies and artists: Paul Manship and James Montgomery Flagg; Holds first major US exhibition at the Wanamaker Gallery, New York. December: Invited to Buckingham Palace to photograph George V.

1922

January: Major one-man show, of 221 exhibits, at Goupil Gallery (catalogue introduction by John Galsworthy). June–July: International Theatre Exhibition at Victoria and Albert Museum. Hoppé is on the organising committee and contributes stage and costume designs.

1923

Visits Romania, as guest of Queen Marie and the Romanian royal family, to collect material for his first travel book, In Gipsy Camp and Royal Palace. Photographic Masterpieces by E.O. Hoppé, staged by the Asahai Shimbun Company of Tokyo, in Ueno, Japan.

1924

Travels to Italy; photographs Mussolini in Rome for the Graphic. Commissioned by J. Lyons & Co to photograph the first ‘Nippy’ waitress.

1925

Travels round Britain and Ireland photographing topography for his first book in the Orbis Terrarum series.

1926

Returns to America: takes portraits in New York, visits Hollywood. Spends time with Native American tribes. Visits Cuba, Jamaica and West Indies.

1927

May: Exhibition of Rural England photographs at Dover Gallery, London, to mark publication of Picturesque Great Britain. Takes portrait sittings in Berlin and photographs for the Ufa Studios; undertakes topographical and industrial photography.

1929

Travels to India, Ceylon (Sri Lanka), Australia and New Zealand.

1930s

1930

Exhibition 79 Camera Pictures held at David Jones’ Department Store, Sydney.

1935

Launch of Geographical Magazine to which Hoppé becomes contributor and art editor.

1931–9

Travels to Indonesia, Bali, Africa, Bavaria, Poland and Czechoslovakia.

1937

Leaves Millais House, which is taken over as studio by ballet photographer Gordon Anthony and subsequently artist Francis Bacon.

1939

Returns to London at outbreak of war. Concentrates on Dorien Leigh photographic agency.

1940 — 1972

1954

Exhibition A Half Century of Photography at Foyles Art Gallery, London, opened by James Laver (exhibition later shown at Lenbachhaus, Munich, and then toured by British Council in India and Far East).

1968

Photographed and interviewed by John Hedgecoe for Queen magazine and exhibition at Kodak Gallery to mark Hoppé’s ninetieth birthday.

1972

Receives Royal Photographic Society Honorary Fellowship. Dies on 9 December, aged ninety-four, in London.

Extracted from Hoppe Portraits: Society, Studio and Street published by the National Portrait Gallery, hardback RRP £30.