A blogpost inspired by ‘The Oxford Dictionary’.

Make no mistake, Charlotte Brontë integrated words, names —— whole sentiments into her art —— fact, and it is my intention to prove it —— HERE. 

It is an ancient and modern practice —— known as ‘Steganography’:

The following three examples of Steganography can be ‘seen’ in an authenticated artwork by Charlotte Brontë in the Brontë Parsonage Museum collection in Haworth. Shown below —— on page 261 in ‘The art of the Brontës’ by Christine Alexander and Jane Sellars.

‘The art of the Brontës’ is a ‘catalogue raisonné’.

‘catalogue raisonné’ “- a descriptive catalogue of works of art with explanations and scholarly comments.” The Oxford Dictionary.  

‘The art of the Brontës’ was first published in 1995 – in light of my findings —— it could now be considered to be in need of an update.

The scene depicts Charlotte bidding a fond farewell to her best friend Ellen Nussey – whose body is turned towards the open arms of her beau labelled ‘The Chosen’. The gulf that separates them is the English Channel —— note the steamboat on the horizon. In a self-deprecating style, ‘Charlotte’ cuts a lonesome, rather stunted —— even ugly figure —— compared to Ellen. Charlotte suffered a lot of insecurities about the way she looked —— particularly over her petiteness. The sketch dates to 1843 when Charlotte was on her second sabbatical to Brussels – to study at the Pensionnat Héger – to further broaden——her——horizons and fine-tune her love of the French language. 

1. “My Kindred”

‘My Kindred’ is ’embroidered’ along the hem of Ellen’s dress as if by a seamstress. The wearer is Ellen Nussey – Charlotte’s best ‘kindred’.

In the author’s own words, “I want my kindred: those with whom I have full fellow-feeling.” from Jane Eyre.

A ‘kindred’ in Charlotte’s book was a ‘brother’ or a ‘sister’ – a kindred soul that she could confide everything in and vice versa; Ellen Nussey was Charlotte’s best kindred – exactly like it says on her dress!

2. “His” 

Charlotte’s insecurities about herself —— go some way to explaining Charlotte’s cryptic dig at Ellen; a classic case of Charlotte drawing out loud methinks!

3. “étude” 

And now for a flourish of pure genius; the ‘musical’ steamboat on the horizon – symbolising Charlotte broadening hers!

Next, I turn my attentions on an unauthenticated self-portrait of Charlotte Brontë that features exactly the same trait as the authenticated sketch above. It is surely Charlotte’s pièce de résistance! 

4. “MY ALL”

Charlotte’s genius method of conflating Jane Eyre’s feelings for Mr. Rochester with her own feelings for M Héger —— condensed into just two words that say it ALL —— and that importantly, fit in the limited space of her lace collar!

Jane Eyre to Mr. Rochester: “All my heart is yours, sir; it belongs to you; and with you it would remain, were fate to exile the rest of me from your presence forever.” 

M Héger was the Belgian schoolmaster Charlotte fell hopelessly and madly in love with but couldn’t have. On the back of the drawing is an inscription dated 1842 – the year Charlotte first studied under M Héger. The trick to reading anything ‘Charlotte’ is to read between the lines, through the surface —— or ‘en filigrane’, through the watermarks —— as the French —— and undoubtedly Charlotte would say!

Whose writing it is on the back of the portrait? —— I don’t profess to know – but I know whose writing —— or example of ‘Steganography’ – is on the front of the portrait; it’s Charlotte’s without a shadow of doubt! 

In matters of the heart – Charlotte WAS drawn by M Héger; as a moth is drawn by a flame. Charlotte would have given her ALL to M Héger, but unfortunately for Charlotte he was a happily married man. Charlotte’s attentions and intentions went unrequited – it was an ‘affair’ in Charlotte’s life that damned well near destroyed her❣️ —— but Charlotte picked up her writing pen and wove it through her novels – like she did her collar. 

5. E——M——I——L——Y

Charlotte’s portrait of her sister, Emily —— needs no defining —— only highlighting. Most especially for ‘the powers that be’ who refuse to see it —— nay want to see it – because Charlotte’s portrait of Emily, doesn’t fit with their preconceived idea of what Emily looked like; surely Charlotte is the better judge?

And a final reminder again about the meaning of the word ‘fact’; please be sure to read the small print!

THANK YOU FOR READING.