Jane Again?

[poliphilo]

O.K. guys, so what do we make of this?

It's a portrait of an unidentified woman by Jane Austen's friend and admirer the Rev James Stanier Clarke. 

Is it Jane? 

All the evidence in its favour is circumstantial, but there's nothing about it that rules it out of court.

Stanier Clarke was the Prince Regent's librarian and Jane visited him at Carlton House. Obviously she would have dressed up for the occasion.

Comments

[karenkay.livejournal.com]

I agree with you completely on every point. (Whew, how often do we get to say THAT!:))

I guess this debacle is testimony to the power of rumor. Also, judging from this report of the sale, it was just a bad day all round for consumer optimism: http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=20601088&sid=amolkVank3X0&refer=home

[poliphilo.livejournal.com]

If the portrait isn't of Jane Austen it was hugely overpriced. As the portait of an unknown girl It's an attractive, journeyman piece- worth a few thou at the most.

A Ruysdael at under $3 million- that's a snip!