Hopson was a nephew of Sir Thomas Hopson, whose portrait by Michael Dahl is in the NMM’s collection (BHC2782). He was a lieutenant to his uncle in the ‘Breda’ in 1693. He became a post captain in 1696, a rear-admiral in 1727 and died in command in the West Indies in 1728. Hopson is shown wearing a red velvet coat with gold embroidered buttons and buttonholes and a brown full-bottomed wig. In the left background is a two-decker wearing the pre-1707 ensign, although the portrait is signed ‘G Kneller 1709’. The portrait is not definitely of Hopson, and if not the sitter would be a contemporary of similar rank.