Jane Austen

in her cottage garden at Chawton.

by Tom Clifford.


I have for many years been a Jane Austen devotee. Although I now live in Dartmouth Devon, I lived for many years in Winchester, not far from Jane's home at Chawton,

in Hampshire.  The following is an outline of some of research that went into the painting.

Jane Austen ­ A picture taken...

From Pride and Prejudice- Mr.Darcy contemplates the idea of a portrait of Elizabeth Bennet.

Jane Austen writes, "As for your Elizbeth's picture, you must not attempt to have it taken, for what painter could do justice to those beautiful eyes?

It would not be easy to catch their expression, but their colour and shape, and the eye-lashes, so remarkably fine, might be copied."

Indeed, what modern painter could do justice to a portrait of Jane Austen? What did Jane Austen really look like? This we shall never truly know, but not to attempt to" have it taken," not to catch the expression in her eyes, the shape of her mouth, or the freshness of her complexion, not to... would be lamentable indeed!

There are only two first-hand views of Jane, both done by her sister Cassandra. One shows a view of her seated, alas, with no view of her face. The other, a very small drawing about the size of a playing card, can be found today in the

National Portrait Gallery, London.





The small drawing that Cassandra produced in 1810 of her sister is the only visual information we have of Jane. It is this drawing,manipulated in various ways, that has become the icon accepted today by many of Miss Austen.

There are many who say that Jane's sister, Cassandra, was not an accomplished artist, and her depiction of Jane was not flattering or reliable. This may explain the many attempts by publishers and others to apply cosmetic treatment to Cassendra's innocent portrait.

I suggest that Cassandra had some considerable artistic talent. We have only to look at examples of her other work (such as the drawing of her niece Fanny Knight)

to give credence to this belief.

It is, therefore, this honest drawing of one sister by another that I looked to first in my quest to develop a closer perception of the likness of Miss Austen.

In addition to the scant visual reference we have of Jane Austen, there are numerous written accounts of her appearance.

An early description of young Jane at Steventon by Sir Egerton Brydges said, "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."

Recollections of Aunt Jane by Caroline Austen. "As to my aunt's personal appearance, hers was the first face I can remember thinking pretty. 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."

Henry Austen said of his sister, " Her stature rather exceeded the middle height; her carriage anad 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." Henry applied these lines to Jane: " Her pure and eloquent blood spake in her cheeks and so distinctly wrought that you had almost said her body thought."


Edward Austen Leigh wrote down this description of Jane's appearence in the years just after the family left Southampton. "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."

In addition to these and other written descriptions of Miss Austen, I have looked closely at the surviving portraits and silhouette renderings of the immediate

family members.








Would I recognize Miss Austen if we were to meet in a crowd today? I would like to think so. I have tried to be true to her likeness, true to Jane...I also hope that I have been able to add to the information that we have about Jane,that I have been able to add sparkle and dimension to the visual images we have of her.  

Tom Clifford.


Jane's brother Francis