“The ‘Lost’ Portrait of Emily Brontë: And Why You Can’t Keep An Honest Portrait Down!”

This post is all about the evolution of ‘The Bonnet’ —— officially ‘The Order of The Bonnet’ —— in chronological order. Significantly, published on Sunday, 16th. October, 2022. . .

Charlotte Bronte’s ‘Jane Eyre’ was published on this day in 1847.

I believe that the gypsy scene in chapter nineteen of ‘Jane Eyre’ irrefutably links the ‘Bonnet Portrait’ with Charlotte Brontë’s hand —— or how else did she come to paint such a vivid picture of the Gypsy’s head attire? —— “a broad-brimmed gipsy hat, tied down with a striped handkerchief under the chin” —— these are not my words but those of Charlotte Brontë’s. It’s obvious from Charlotte’s description that she was well-acquainted with the ‘Bonnet Portrait’ —— she almost certainly had the portrait ‘type’ in her head as she penned these words;

“a broad-brimmed gipsy hat, tied down with a striped handkerchief under the chin”. . .

---

‘The Order of The Bonnet’

1787.

All Bonnet ‘type’ portraits have their roots in ‘Wood-Nymph’ —— engraved by John Raphael Smith after an original painting by Samuel Woodforde R.A.

---

1825.

The subject’s olive-skin complexion suggests that she’s a Gypsy —— like Emily’s ‘Heathcliff’ —— or indeed a “Sibyl” to quote Charlotte’s “Jane Eyre”! This early 19th Century ‘Bonnet’ —— squarely transports the portrait ‘type’ back-in-time to when the Brontë Sisters were children; Charlotte was born in 1816, Emily in 1818 and Anne in 1820. 

Strangely, both Charlotte’s ‘lost’ pencil portrait of “E M I L Y ” and the “1825” ‘Bonnet Portrait’ —— both share an identical ‘J Whatman’ watermark, “TMAN”; really, one couldn’t make it up!

The Elder James Whatman (Born 1702 – Died 1759) is noted for his invention of Wove Paper; both portraits are on ‘J WHATMAN’ watermarked, wove paper. . .

---

1837.

Indeed, one would be forgiven for thinking that the “1837” version is traced from the earlier version because they are so alike —— they’re almost identical twins! One can only conclude, that they are copied from the same source; almost certainly an early 19th century engraving published in the exact ‘Bonnet Portrait’ format —— or composition. It’s all in the detail. . .

---

1847. 

“Jane Eyre” and “Wuthering Heights” were published under Charlotte’s and Emily’s pen names —— Currer and Ellis Bell. . .

Significantly, and in relation to my research about the ‘Bonnet’ —— Emily’s “Wuthering Heights” is set in the very era when the “Gypsy Straw” hat depicted in the Bonnet ‘type’ portrait —— was at its fashion height. “Wuthering Heights” begins at the start of the 19th century but the story —— as narrated retrospectively by Nelly Dean —— is set in the 18th century from the 1770’s.

However, the first real ‘Bonnet’ clue that links the Bonnet ‘type’ portrait with Charlotte Brontë’s hand —— reveals itself in “Jane Eyre”; it’s the Gypsy scene in chapter XIX. . .

I think that it’s crystal clear from Charlotte’s description of the Gipsy’s hat, and the manner in which it was tied down —— Charlotte Brontë was well-acquainted with the Bonnet ‘type’ portrait. In “Jane Eyre” Charlotte created an image of the ‘Bonnet Portrait’ —— only in words. 

For those unfamiliar with the story-line of ‘Jane Eyre’ —— the Gypsy ‘woman’ is in fact none other than Mr. Rochester! I believe that Mr. Rochester’s cross-dressing antics is another reason for the prejudice that exists —— and persists —— towards the ‘Bonnet Portrait of Emily Brontë’. The idea of Mr Rochester masquerading as a woman in a ‘Gipsy-Straw’ hat, tied down in the exact same fashion as in the ‘Bonnet Portrait’ negatively impacts an already negative association of ideas. It can’t be denied that there’s more than a passing resemblance between the Bonnet ‘type’ portrait and the mental image that Charlotte painted with words —— of Mr Rochester’s beguiling attire; “a broad-brimmed gipsy hat, tied down with a striped handkerchief under the chin”. . .

Despite the evidence, the majority of Brontë fans go on blithely idealizing a portrait of ‘Emily’ that doesn’t challenge their fixed idea that ‘Emily’ was somehow an incontrovertible vision of feminine loveliness. According to myth, Emily Brontë in the flesh —— and soul —— deserves to be the very image of Anne Brontë, complete with neat, coiffured curls and an off-the-shoulder dress!!! Biographer, Virginia Moore eulogises further. . .

Talk about fanciful! To my mind, I can’t imagine that Emily ever agreed to pose for a portrait in a dress that bared her shoulders —— let alone put one on; Emily was too old-fashioned —— too shy and too modest. At heart, Emily was an outdoorsy type who preferred her own company along with the fashions of the previous century; she chose to wear dresses with voluminous leg-of-mutton or gigot sleeves —— not off-the-shoulder dresses that exposed bare skin!

So what is it with the Brontë Establishment that it persists on being so completely arse about face regarding this matter of great Brontë importance??? By all accounts, by those that actually knew Emily Brontë  —— she was the tallest sister, strong-boned —— even masculine, with a tight-curly, head of hair. Ellen Nussey described Emily’s hair as “unbecoming” —— and a “frizz” —— which suggests it was a bit of a tangle —— indeed like “elf-locks”; no gentle coiffured curls like those in “The Profile Portrait”! And it was Emily’s Belgium teacher, Constantin Héger —— who stated, “She should have been a man”!

It’s reasonable to suppose, outdoorsy Emily was essentially a hat and cloak ‘type’.  I for one, can’t envisage Emily baring her shoulders —— but I can perfectly imagine Charlotte creating a portrait of her sister that has its roots in Samuel Woodforde’s “Wood-Nymph”. The very title, “Wood-Nymph” —— brings to mind a fey, elemental being of earth and air —— and of fire. . .   

Emily’s spiritual transcendence was attained through her affinity with Nature —— whilst day-to-day domestic chores also served to free Emily’s mind beyond the four walls of The Parsonage. Emily Brontë was ever hardworking, down-to-earth and practical yet intellectually and psychically she was a mystic; able to rise above the fetters of her day-to-day existence through exercising mind over matter. Kneading bread, peeling potatoes —— or indeed, gathering a large faggot for the hearth —— weren’t menial drudgery to Emily but further escape mechanisms to her higher self.  

So it should come as no surprise that Charlotte’s first impression of an 18th century engraving of Samuel Woodforde’s “Wood-Nymph” carrying a large faggot for the fire was to proclaim, “Ee bah gum, it’s our ‘E M I L Y’!” 🔥 

Charlotte then proceeded to sketch this “excellent likeness” of her sister. . .

---

1849

Charlotte Brontë‘s second novel “Shirley” was published in 1849.  Charlotte told her biographer, Mrs. Gaskell —— that the character of ‘Shirley Keeldar’ was based on her sister, Emily —— had Emily been born into a wealthy family. Again, the author makes mention of a “gipsy-straw”; Charlotte is quite specific that Shirley’s (therein Emily’s) hat choice was “a gipsy-straw”. . . 

---

1855

Charlotte Bronte died on the 31st. March, 1855; she was the only Sister to experience fame before she died. That said, I don’t doubt that this sweet portrait by “J W Moore” is an early copy of Charlotte’s portrait of Emily. . .

Immediately after Charlotte’s passing, there was a huge influx of interest from outside Haworth – of people desperate to know what the Brontë Sisters looked like. Martha Brown who was a loyal and trusted servant to the Brontë family inherited Charlotte’s “very neatly and boldly” drawn pencil sketch of Emily —— which Martha pronounced an excellent likeness. Martha Brown very much enjoyed her new found celebrity status and was happy to share her hoard of Brontë family portraits and memorabilia with those that came a-calling —— but she was very reluctant to sell any of them.

It’s worth noting here —— that the cloak in the 1855 version of the ‘Bonnet Portrait’ has reverted to red like that in the original ‘Wood-Nymph’ engraving. Two other versions that I attribute to Charlotte Brontë’s hand (based on microsopical findings that are in the pencil version too) also sport red cloaks. . .

---

1872

The Warman ‘Bonnet Portrait. . .Emily Brontë wasn’t famous in her own lifetime but she was in William Warman’s. Listed artist, William Warman (1801 – 1872) was about the business of copying portraits of historic and famous figures; he was essentially a copyist of other artist’s work. His most famous painting is in the National Portrait Gallery’s primary collection; it is a reduced copy after Thomas Sully’s watercolour of Queen Victoria. You can view Warman’s painting here: https://www.npg.org.uk/collections/search/portrait/mw06507/Queen-Victoria  

During the Victorian Era it didn’t get more famous than Queen Victoria, which raises the question —— if William Warman’s version of the ‘Bonnet Portrait’ isn’t a copy of Charlotte’s ‘Bonnet Portrait’ of her sister, Emily – who the ‘eck is it meant to be? Because it’s a Warman, the sitter is almost certainly someone who was recognisable —— even famous —— during Queen Victoria’s reign. I only recognise this portrait ‘type’ as the ‘Bonnet Portrait of Emily Brontë. . .  It’s important to reiterate, William Warman was a copyist of portraits of historic and famous figures. William Warman died in 1872 – so his ‘Bonnet Portrait’ can’t have been copied from the ‘Bonnet’ photogravure that was published in the ‘Woman at Home’ in 1894.  

As said at the start of this section, Emily Brontë wasn’t famous in her own short lifetime but she was in William Warman’s. Even as early as the 1850’s —— the public were desperate to know what the author of ‘Wuthering Heights’ looked like —— indeed they were naturally curious to know what all three novelist sisters looked like; the Victorians were great relic hunters! If one factors in the time-frame of ‘Wuthering Heights’ —— then the ‘Gipsy-Straw’ portrait fits the bill. ‘Wuthering Heights’ begins right at the beginning of the 19th century —— but Nelly Dean’s retrospective narrative starts thirty years earlier. For this reason, Charlotte’s small, very personalised portrait of “E M I L Y” ought to be venerated instead of denounced because it’s an iconic portrayal of the creator of Heathcliff and Catherine —— “E M I L Y” is a nod towards ‘Wuthering Heights’. 

Martha Brown, who was housekeeper to the Brontë family was only too keen to show off her hoard of Brontë relics including the ‘lost’ portrait of Emily Brontë drawn by Charlotte —— that Martha pronounced “an excellent likeness”.

In order that one gets a grasp of the Brontës’ engravings obsession, it’s important to read this following quote from Mrs Gaskell. . .

 “It is singular how strong a yearning the whole family had towards the art of drawing. Mr. Bronte had been very solicitous to get them good instruction; the girls themselves loved everything connected with it —— all descriptions or engravings of great pictures; and, in default of good ones, they would take and analyse any print or drawing which came in their way, and find out how much thought had gone to its composition, what ideas it was intended to suggest, and what it DID suggest.”

And to better understand Charlotte’s individual drawing technique it’s essential to read a direct quote from page 221 of ‘The art of the Brontës’ by authors, Christine Alexander and Jane Sellars. Obviously, they’re not talking about the ‘Bonnet’ drawing here!!! —— but one can see the same technique at work in the ‘Bonnet’ drawing: “Only the head has been finished; the remainder of the figure shows the work at varying stages of completion, allowing us a clear view of Charlotte’s technique. As in her flower paintings she works in detail first on the head and central feature, then on the remainder of the composition.” 

---

1879     

One recorded caller at Martha Brown’s door in Haworth was, Reverend William Robertson Nicoll —— witness to the ‘lost’ portrait of Emily Brontë. Here is his statement, “Portrait of Anne Brontë” —— that’s chiefly about Charlotte’s ‘lost’ pencil portrait of Emily. . . 

Particularly as Sir William Robertson Nicoll was an early president of The Brontë Society. . .

“It is proposed to establish a Brontë Society… The chief desideratum is the excellent pencil sketch of Emily Brontë, drawn by Charlotte, which was in the possession of Martha Brown, the old servant of the family, and is now lost.” I saw it thirteen years ago, and vainly endeavoured to purchase it. I have vainly endeavoured to trace it since.” 
Reverend William Robertson Nicoll, 1893

---

1894 

In 1894, ‘The Woman at Home’ magazine published this photogravure —— produced by ‘Andre & Sleigh’. . .

Reaction to the ‘Bonnet’ photogravure that appeared in the ‘Woman at Home’ 1894 edition —— is summed-up by an article published in ‘The Pall Mall Gazette’ for June 22nd. 1894. Contributors to “The Wares of Autolycus” column —— were anonymous, opinionated women writers. . .

And thereby hangs a tale! The so-called “reproduction of a copy” that appeared in the ‘Woman at Home’ was caused to become metaphorically invisible in the eyes of the Brontë Establishment —— but the image has refused to go away for good reason(s). . .

‘On the strength’ of absolutely no proof whatsoever —— ONLY UNFOUNDED OPINIONS —— the ‘Bonnet Portrait’ of Emily Brontë was deemed fake news by 1900. In effect, the ‘Bonnet’ in the ‘Woman at Home’ was cancelled through total ignorance of Charlotte’s ‘lost’ original; it could be said, that the ‘Bonnet Portrait’ was before its time! 

By 1894, the only person that knew for certain that the ‘Bonnet Portrait’ of Emily Brontë did have substance behind it —— was the Editor-in-Chief of the ‘Woman at Home’, Sir William Robertson Nicoll —— one and the same Reverend William Robertson Nicoll who saw the ‘lost’ portrait in 1879, in Haworth. 

Consequentially, Charlotte’s ‘lost’ portrait of her sister, “E M I L Y” —— has been slipping through the auction net for more than a hundred years; if a fairy-tale is to be believed —— then Charlotte’s ‘lost’ drawing of “E M I L Y” is the truest version of ‘Sleeping Beauty’ yet —— and it truly deserves a happy ending!  

The ‘lost’ drawing —— anonymously resurfaced in 2016 —— labelled simply as “Lady with Bonnet”. It turned up in an auction in a mixed, uncatalogued lot —— completely unrecognised and seriously undervalued. 

In 1896, the same “reproduction of a copy” was published once again in ‘The Bookman’ —— only it was described accurately: “EMILY BRONTË, FROM A PORTRAIT DRAWN BY CHARLOTTE”. . .

The ‘Bonnet Portrait’ of Emily Brontë illustrated an article by Clement Shorter —— titled “Mrs Gaskell and Charlotte Brontë”. This suggests that at one time ‘Bonnet’ dissenter, Clement Shorter —— believed that the ‘Bonnet Portrait’ had substance to it. That said, it’s also possible that Sir William Robertson Nicoll in his position as founder and editor of ‘The Bookman’ —— overrode Shorter. 

It’s important to remember, Clement Shorter was a literary critic —— no art expert! Driven by greed —— Shorter was the henchman of Brontë villain, Thomas J Wise —— forger and one-time President of the Brontë Society!!! Between Shorter and Wise, they set about acquiring as many Brontë manuscripts and other Brontë relics they could get their hands on —— often immorally! For instance, Ellen Nussey was pressured by Shorter into selling her personal collection of ‘priceless’ letters from Charlotte —— with the proviso —— nay promise —— that they would be placed in a museum; instead Shorter passed them straight to T J Wise who sold them to the highest bidder.

Shorter, frustrated and unable to trace the ‘lost’ portrait of Emily Brontë for himself or Wise —— wrote-off the ‘Bonnet Portrait’ as follows, “The supposed portrait which appeared in The Woman at Home for July 1894 is now known to have been merely an illustration from a ‘Book of Beauty’ and entirely spurious.” Charlotte Brontë and her Circle, 1896.

Of course, Shorter knew no such thing because he was unable to back-up his dismissal of the 1894 ‘Bonnet’ photogravure with the exact ‘Book of Beauty’ that allegedly contained the so-called spurious illustration. However, the coming to light of the “1825” and “1837” original versions of the ‘Bonnet’ —— which are all but identical, suggest that there is a small element of truth in Shorter’s statement —— that works in favour of the ‘Bonnet’!

My theory explains why the ‘Bonnet Portrait’ provided the basis for the portrait that I’ve identified as “E M I L Y” —— and attribute to the hand of Charlotte Brontë —— aka it’s the ‘lost’ portrait of Emily Brontë.

Where Clement Shorter’s knowledge of all things relating to Emily Brontë is concerned —— I take my cue from playwright and novelist, Charles Morgan —— who summed-up Clement Shorter in a word!!! —— conveniently highlighted in red at the foot of this page. . .

Enough about the obtuse one!

Moving on. . .

---

1933

On Monday, December 18th, 1933 —— a portrait drawn by Charlotte of her sister, Emily —— was auctioned at Sotheby’s, London.

Lot 115 is described as “a small parcel”. The portrait was the property of “E. B. Haynes, Esq., of King’s Holt, Gomshall, Surrey”; Lot 115 was bought by a buyer called ‘Halliday’. . .

My riposte to the Brontë Establishment, is you can’t keep an honest portrait down!

My research may or may not be taken as evidence that the ‘Bonnet’ drawing is an authentic ‘lost’ artwork by Charlotte Bronte but all things considered it adds up to more than a suggestion that the drawing is genuine. It’s true that the drawing lacks provenance but microscopical evidence contained in the pencil lines themselves could ‘easily’ be brought to light with the help of science —— and the co-operation of the Brontë Establishment!!! It’s like I’ve said before, and will reiterate again —— if the ‘lost’ portrait of Emily Brontë came with a complete history of provenance tracing it all the way back to Haworth Parsonage —— it would never have been lost in’t first place!!!

Of course, there is one very ‘obvious’ clue that the ‘Bonnet’ drawing is genuine and that’s “E M I L Y”; it’s Charlotte’s own unique signature or ‘watermark’ that guarantees that the drawing is by her hand. . .

Charlotte’s 19th century ‘WordArt’ is a unique artistic trait that I’ve identified and highlighted in more than one authenticated artwork in the official Brontë collection in Haworth —— as demonstrated in these three previous posts:

“Spelling It Out: The Art of Steganography In The Art Of Charlotte Brontë.”  

“A ‘Sketch’ That Points to The Hand of Emily Brontë.”

“The ‘Lost’ Portrait of Emily Brontë: Charlotte’s Name Game Uncovered.” 

Despite the fact that the ‘Bonnet Portrait’ of Emily Brontë got cancelled (to use modern-day parlance!) more than a century ago —— it’s been making an indelible impression ever since; on the covers of books, in magazine and newspaper articles and there’s even a postcard. . .

---