Is This Jane Austen?

[poliphilo]

This is the Rice portrait of the teenage Jane Austen which is being sold at Christie's today. 

Is it authentic ? 

Hmmmmmm. 

It's supported by oral tradition but...

...Some people think the frock is all wrong for the 1780s.

Short of going back in a Tardis we're never going to know.

But it's pretty, isn't it?

Comments

[halfmoon-mollie.livejournal.com]

I've often thought that Ms. Austen was probably like the little brown wren - or the wise old owl who sat in the oak (the more she heard the less she spoke). I don't understand why people need someone intelligent to also be beautiful.

[poliphilo.livejournal.com]

Me neither.

But it would be nice to have a good likeness. The only completely authentic portrait is the sketch by her sister cassandra- which is amateurish and- according to those who knew Jane- not particularly accurate