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

[shullie.livejournal.com]

I love the portrayal of her in the recent film 'Becoming Jane',

http://www.bvimovies.com/uk/becoming_jane/

though now when I read her, I see her in the image of the actress Anne Hatherway :)

[halfmoon-mollie.livejournal.com]

Anne Hathaway has mentioned any number of times how much she enjoys that role.

[poliphilo.livejournal.com]

I haven't seen it.

Descriptions by people who knew her contain phrases such as "pretty", "round-faced" and "doll-like".