The Looks of Jane Austen
Hoe zag Jane Austen eruit?? Er zijn twee portretten waarvan bevestigd is dat het om Jane Austen gaat, allebei gemaakt door haar zus Cassandra. Op het ene portret is haar gezicht niet te zien en van het andere portret zei een nichtje dat het afschuwelijk lelijk was en totaal niet leek op haar tante Jane.
Daar er van Jane Austen geen echte portretten zijn is er veel ruimte voor speculatie en blijft het mysterie over haar uiterlijk.
'Zeldzaam portret Jane Austen ontdekt? '
5 december 2011
De Britse schrijfster Paula Byrne zegt een tot nu toe onbekend portret van Jane Austen te hebben gevonden.
Het nieuw ontdekte portet , gedateerd mogelijk 1815
Van Jane Austen zijn maar twee erkende schetsen, waarvan er een zonder zichtbaar gezicht.
Paula Byrne, die een boek schrijft over Austen, herkende de lange rechte 'Austen-neus', meldt de Britse omroep BBC maandag. De vele bekende afbeeldingen van verschillende Austen familieleden zijn aan een gedegen “neus-onderzoek” onderworpen en de gelijkenis werd zeer groot gevonden.
De biografe, die eerder schreef over auteur Evelyn Waugh, kreeg het portret van haar man, een Shakespeare-kenner die het werk op een veiling kocht. Op de achterkant staat de naam Miss Jane Austin vermeld.
"We hebben verschillende experts geraadpleegd, van kunsthistorici tot modekenners en forensisch analisten. Vervolgens hebben we onze bevindingen voorgelegd aan de drie meest gerenommeerde Austen-geleerden in de wereld", aldus Byrne. "Twee van hen geloven dat het Jane Austen zou kunnen zijn. Het portretteert een zelfverzekerde,professionele schrijfster op het hoogtepunt van haar roem.” Deirdre La Faye is op z’n minst gezegd niet overtuigd dat dit een portret van Jane Austen is.
Meer artikelen over deze vondst: filmpje BBC artikel BBC artikel Guardian
Silhouette from the second edition of Mansfield Park (1833?) , inscribed "l'aimable Jane" and presumed to be Jane Austen. Owned by the National Portrait Gallery, which considers it is possibly by Mrs Collins, a silhouettist who worked in Bath ca. 1800. There is no documentary evidence to confirm the identity of the sitter, but the provenance and title suggest it could be JA.
Portret niet bevestigd
The Rice portrait of a young Jane Austen
Is this a life likeness of Jane Austen at 14 or 15 or isn't? That is the question about the Rice Portrait of Jane Austen by 18th-century British artist Ozias Humphry. The painting will be auctioned on April 19 at Christie’s in New York for over a half million dollars.
The Rice family claims that this image of Jane,with her simple white muslin gown and simple yet elegant hairstyle, was painted around 1788 or 1789.
Portret bevestigd
Unfinished sketch of Jane Austen by her sister Cassandra ca. 1810. The only authenticated likeness of the author, now in the National Portrait Gallery, Room 18, London
Portret bevestigd
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Jane, painted by her sister Cassandra. Initialled ‘CEA’ and dated 1804. This has often been reproduced in recent years, and remains in family ownership.
Portret niet bevestigd
Winchester Cathedral Library has a silhouette, said to be of Jane Austen - ‘done by herself in 1815’. However, the attribution is modern and doubtful, and the style of the silhouette itself, and the appearance of the sitter, suggest a date ca. 1895. The image may possibly be of a Victorian Jane Austen (1849-1928), a grand-daughter of JA’s brother Charles.
Portret niet bevestigd
Watercolour by J.S.Clarke
Believed to be Jane Austen visiting Carlton House, London, 1815
Beschrijvingen van Jane Austen :
"In person she was very attractive; her figure was rather tall and slender, her step light and firm, and her whole appearance expressive of health and animation. In complexion she was a clear brunette with a rich colour; she had full round cheeks, with mouth and nose small and wellformed bright hazel eyes, and brown hair forming natural curls close round her face."
James-Edward Austen,
Jane's nephew
"... certainly pretty-bright & a good deal of colour in her face – like a doll – no that would not give at all the idea for she had so much expression – she was like a child – quite a child very lively and full of humour."
Mr Fowle,
family friend
"... her's was the first face I can remember thinking pretty ... Her hair, a darkish brown, curled naturally – it was in short curls round her face...Her face was rather round than long – she had a bright but not a pink colour – a clear brown complexion and very good hazel eyes. Her hair, a darkish brown, curled naturally, it was in short curls around her face. She always wore a cap ... before she left Steventon she was established as a very pretty girl, in the opinion of most of her neighbours."
Caroline Austen,
Jane's niece
"Her hair was dark brown and curled naturally, her large dark eyes were widely opened and expressive. She had clear brown skin and blushed so brightly and so readily."
An early description of young Jane at Steventon by Sir Egerton Brydges
"She was tall and slender; her face was rounded with a clear brunette complexion and bright hazel eyes. Her curly brown hair escaped all round her forehead, but from the time of her coming to live at Chawton she always wore a cap, except when her nieces had her in London and forbade it."
Edward Austen Leigh of Jane's appearence in the years just after the family left Southampton
" Her stature rather exceeded the middle height; her carriage and deportment were quiet but graceful; her complexion of the finest texture, it might with truth be said that her eloquent blood spoke through her modest cheek."
" Her pure and eloquent blood spake in her cheeks and so distinctly wrought that you had almost said her body thought."
Henry Austen said of his sister