Mary Hopkinson

This is a portrait of Mary Hopkinson (née Johnson, 1718-1804), the mother of musician, jurist and American revolutionary politician Francis Hopkinson (1737-1791). Mary was widowed in 1751 with two sons and four daughters, and helped to shape her son’s career. She and her husband Thomas, a lawyer, emigrated to Philadelphia. This portrait was painted by Benjamin West, also from Philadelphia, but who lived most of his life in London.