Augustus Hoppin illustrations

File — Box: Multi-Collection Container

Identifier: 123-03

Staff Only

Scope and Contents

The Augustus Hoppin illustrations collection includes approximately 60 magazine clippings of illustrations as well as one page of thumbnail sketches and one handwritten letter by Augustus Hoppin (1828-1896). Illustrations of various sizes were neatly clipped from a number of 19th century weekly and monthly magazines, with many illustrations being from Harper’s Weekly (1857-1916), Ballou’s Monthly Magazine (1855-1893), The Knickerbocker (1833-1865), and Every Saturday (1866-1874). Images include caricatures of high society life as well as domestic scenes. Also included are two folios containing full pages from Harper’s Weekly, showing Hoppin’s illustrations in context of the stories for which they were created. The first is “Belle-Life at Nahant,” published on August 28, 1858, and the second is “The Courtin,” by Prof. J. Russell Lowell, published October 23, 1858. The thumbnail sketches are of horses and cows on a single small sheet of paper, approximately 4.5 x 7 inches, while the letter is addressed to “My Dear Miss Candace.” Though the date of the letter does not include a year, it is assumed to be within the range of the other items in this collection.

Dates

1857 - 1886

Conditions Governing Access

Materials are open for research.

Conditions Governing Use

PPL does not claim copyright to this collection. Users of this item are responsible for determining copyright restrictions.

Biographical / Historical

Augustus Hoppin (1828–1896) was an American book illustrator born in Providence, R. I. He studied law at Harvard and Brown Universities and graduated from Brown with a degree in said subject in 1848. Though he was admitted to the Rhode Island bar association, he soon gave up law and instead traveled abroad to study art. Upon his return, Hoppin devoted himself to drawing on wood and to the illustration of books and magazines, in which he was very successful. He published several volumes of his sketches and novels, and his illustrations were frequently printed in many of the prominent journals and magazines of his day, such as Harper’s Weekly. Hoppin generally specialized in humorous subjects, although he also illustrated travel books. Works by Augutus Hoppin also appear under the pen name “C. Auton.”

Extent

9 folders

Language of Materials

English

Additional Description

Arrangement

This collection is organized into two series. The first series includes the clippings gathered into folders by publication. There is also a folder of miscellaneous clippings. In addition, at the end of the first series are 6 folios (4 small in size and two larger in size), also in folders by publication. The folios contain individual articles or stories, clipped from magazines, showing Hoppin’s illustrations in context. Series two includes the two original items: a sheet of thumbnail sketches and a handwritten letter. These items are foldered together as they were found together within another collection in the archives.

Custodial History

Unknown.

Immediate Source of Acquisition

Materials found in collection; there is no documentation concerning the provenance of these materials.

Related Materials

Daniel Berkeley Updike Autograph Collection, 1639-1940. Special Collections, Providence Public Library.

NOTE- PPL owns many published volumes which include Hoppin illustrations. Please see online catalog for a full list.