1878
Emil Otto Philipp Hoppé was born on 14 April in Munich, Germany to Philipp and Maria Hoppé. His father was a prominent banker who wanted a conventional career for his, his mother an amateur musician who nurtured his artistic interests.
1890
At age 12, began training to be a banker at Piaristengynmanium school in Vienna.
1893
Returns to Munich for education at Wilhelms-Gymnasium, but begins to take weekend drawing classes from Professor Hans von Bartels, who became a treasured mentor. Through gatherings in the home of Bartels, he meets a young Sergei Diaghilev, then an art dealer.
1896
Completes formal education and begins work, unhappily, at Deutsche Bank, where his father is employed.
1900
Travels with his entrepreneur Uncle Wigo through Germany, France and England, with plans to settle in Shanghai and establish a business. Hoppé remains in London instead of going on to China, settling in Hackney. He meets John Warburg, an amateur photographer. Inspired by him, he buys his first camera, a Goertz-Auschutz, and starts photography as a hobby.
1901
Becomes employed as a Foreign Correspondent at Continental Banking Corp thanks to his Uncle Gaspar. At some eventually suffers a nervous breakdown, "brought about, my doctor declared, through my temperamental unsuitability for my job."
1903
His amateur photographs drawing increasing attention, he is elected a member of the Royal Photographic Society and continues to develop his photographic skills in his spare time.
1905
Marries Marion Josephine Wilhelmina Bliersbach, the sister of one of his old school friends, Hoppé's father highly approves of her as a good match for his son, who now begins going by "E.O." rather than "Emil." Marion encourages his aspiration to become a professional photographer, and is able to convince his father to allow him to quit banking and pursue photography full-time. March 23, he begins his new career. Two of his works are selected for the Royal Photographic Society's annual exhibition.
1906-07
Regular prize-winner and exhibitor at photographic exhibitions and awarded a Fellowship of the Royal Photographic Society (FRPS). London Illustrated News publishes twelve of his portraits.
1907
Opens his first studio at 10 Margravine Gardens, near Barons Court, London.
1908
Six works selected for display at RPS Salon include studies of friends and fellow photographers: A.H.Blake, Rudolf Duhrkoop and Furley Lewis and the dancer Maud Allan.
1909
With Sir Benjamin Stone, organizes Great Britain at the International Exhibition of Photography at Dresden. Begins making his early topographic views of London.
1909-10
Co-founder of London Salon of Photography, which succeeds the Linked Ring Salon. Hoppé exhibits four subject pictures and a portrait of Sara De Groote.
1910
First one-man exhibition, of seventy-two photographs, at Royal Photographic Society, 55 Russell Square.
1911
Moves to larger studio at 59 Baker Street. Photographs leading members of the Diaghilev Ballet as well as Max Rhinehardt productions of The Miracle and Oedipus Rex.
1912
Birth of first child Frank Sidney Hoppé on 18 January.
1913
One-man exhibition at Goupil Gallery.
Takes on lease of 7 Cromwell Place, South Kensington, which he re-names Millais House after its earlier occupant, Sir John Everett Millais.
1914
New art magazine, Colour, launched. Hoppé is art editor and contributes reviews, designs, and drawings.
1915
Birth of second child Muriel Marion Hoppé on 14 December.
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 whose other members include architect Charles Rennie Mackintosh, photographer A.L. Coburn, painter Glyn Philpot and artist George Sheringham.
1918
Photographs literary subjects including Lytton Strachey, Ezra Pound, and Rebecca West as well as an extensive series of nude studies of Ruby Lorraine, "The Kirchner Girl."
1919
Photographs Ellen Terry as the Nurse in "Romeo and Juliet" and Russian dancer Lydia Lopokova.
1920
The New York Times announces the arrival of Hoppé in the USA on the Caronia and his intention to seek five “American beauties” to be included in forthcoming proposed Book of Fair Women, published in 1921 by Alfred Knopf, New york, and Jonathan Cape, London.
1921
Takes portrait sittings in his New York studio on West 57th Street including film stars Anna Q. Nilsson, Lilian Gish, Mary Miles Minter, Marion Davies, and artists Paul Manship, James Montgomery Flagg and dancer Theda Bara.
Holds first major US exhibition at the Wanamaker Gallery, New York.
Invited to Buckingham Palace to photograph George V.
1922
Major one-man show, of 221 exhibits, at Goupil Gallery (catalogue introduction by John Galsworthy).
International Theatre Exhibition at Victoria and Albert Museum. Hoppé on 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, published in 1924.
Photographic Masterpieces by E.O. Hoppé, an exhibition of 189 of Hoppé’s photographs, staged by the Asahi Shimbun Company of Tokyo, in Ueno, Japan. The exhibition subsequently tours to Osaka and an exhibition catalogue is produced in 1927. Hoppé makes woodcuts of many of his famous literary portraits.
1924
Travels to Italy; photographs Mussolini in Rome for The Graphic.
Commissioned by J. Lyons & Co to photograph the first "Nippy" waitress.
Japanese photographic collection acquires 200 prints for a permanent exhibition.
1925
Travels round Britain and Ireland photographing topography for for the Orbis Terrarum series, Picturesque Great Britain, published in 1926.
1926
Returns to America: takes portraits in New York, visits Hollywood. Spends time with Native American tribes. Visits Cuba, Jamaica and West Indies.
1927
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 Film Studios including studies of Fritz Lang and Brigitte Helm; undertakes topographical and industrial photography for book that becomes Deutsche Arbeit.
1928
Photographs at UFA film studios, Berlin, making portraits of film directors such as Fritz Lang, and actresses including Brigitte Helm. Photographs throughout Germany making images of large industry for his book, "Deutsche Arbeit" published by Ullstein, Berlin, 1930, and of medieval villages for his book, "Romantik der Kleinstadt" published by Bruckmann, Munich, 1929.
1929
Travels to India, Ceylon (Sri Lanka), then on to Australia and New Zealand.
1930
Exhibition 79 Camera Pictures held at David Jones’ Department Store, Sydney. Becomes the first photographer to photograph across the entire Australian continent for his forthcoming book, "The Fifth Continent" published by Simpkin Marshall, London, 1931.
1931-32
Travels to Indonesia. Publishes "London" by the Medici Society, London, and "Unterwegs" by by Ernst Pollak, Berlin.
1932
Photographs Lacock Abbey Pageant
1933
Acquires a cottage in Molln, Austria and visits annually to photograph for a book on Austria that is never published.
1935
Launch of Geographical Magazine to which Hoppé becomes contributor. Published "The Image of London" by Chattos & Windus, London.
1936
Publishes "A Camera on Unknown London", J.M. Dent & Sons, Ltd. London.
1937
Travels to Central Africa to photograph Rwanda, Uganda, Nigeria, Kenya, Cameroon, Ghana, Tanzania, and the Democratic Republic of the Congo. 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 consisting of works by Hoppé and other photographers he represents such as Paul Wolff and Martin Munkasci who contribute pictures to magazines such as Lilliput, Picture Post and Weekly Illustrated.
1945
Published his autobiography "Hundred Thousand Exposures: The Success of a Photographer", The Focal Press, London.
1947-48
Visits Jamaica and British Honduras to make national photographic surveys.
1951
Published "Rural London in Pictures", Odhams Press, Ltd. London.
1954
Exhibition A Half Century of Photography at Foyles Art Gallery, London, that later travelled to Lenbachhaus, Munich, and thereafter toured by British Council in India and Far East.
1956
Publishes "Blaue Berge Von Jamaica", Safari Verlag, London.
1963
The Saturday Book, Volume 23, edited by John Hadfield, publishes Homage To Hoppé: 16 Photographs, a series of experimental images.
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. Publishes "Pirates, Buccaneers and Gentleman Adventurers" Thomas Yoseloff Ltd. London.
Dies on 9 December, aged ninety-four.