‘Shirley’ published in 1849 by Smith, Elder & Co.
My ‘Shirley’ is a precious paperback edition given to me by my manager, Kirsten —— as a Christmas gift in 2019.
On my bookshëlf — secondhand paperbacks sit alongside first editions from an earlier century — all are invaluable in my Quest for the Truth regarding the ‘Bonnet Portrait’ of Emily Brontë.
One first edition is ‘Emily Brontë — Eminent Women Series’ published in 1883 by W. H. Allen and Co.’ It is the first full-length biography about Emily Brontë — by Agnes Mary Frances Robinson — b.1857 d.1944 — also known under the surnames, Darmesteter —— and also Duclaux. To read more about this ënlightened writer — poet — even scientist’s assistant…I highly recommend coming back to this link afterwards!
Chapter XVI of Agnes Mary Frances Robinson’s ‘Golden Book’ about Emily — throws light on how Charlotte based the character ‘Shirley Keeldar’ on her sister Emily —— had Emily been born into wealth and good fortune. 
Now I haven’t read ‘Shirley’ — as I’m a Brontë scholar of a different kind; I discovered my love of the Brontës through reading their Art — not their novels. Therefore I am indebted to Agnes Mary Frances Robinson for giving me the heads-up to another vital clue about the identity of the ‘Bonnet Portrait’. 
It’s my experience that the likes of Agnes Mary Frances Robinson — and Sir William Robertson Nicoll, both who are no longer alive in a physical sense — outshine today’s Brontë experts by a mile…
Or maybe it’s just that the so-called experts today just aren’t capable of penetrating the underlying messages in Charlotte’s narrative? Hence one must spell them out —— highlight them —— underline them.
Shirley Keeldar fetched her “Gipsy-Straw” — it’s official: 
There it is —— as bold as typeface! —— in chapter XXII of ‘Shirley’!
Shirley, therein Emily —— wore a ‘gipsy-straw’.
It’s evidently clear that Charlotte Brontë left clues to the identity of the ‘Bonnet Portrait’ in her novels — just in case anyone should inadvertently overlook —— or conveniently overlook —— that it’s E—M—I—L—Y —— as can be read from left to right in the folds of the sitter’s drapery. I ask you —— could Charlotte have made the title of her portrait of her sister anymore bigger or bolder or clearer?!!!
Like Sir William Robertson Nicoll said of the lost portrait in 1891, “…a very clearly and boldly drawn pencil sketch of Emily by Charlotte…” And he should know because he saw the portrait in 1879 in Haworth, when he paid a friendly visit to Martha Brown, the Brontë’s faithful servant who was the keeper of the portrait then. It was only after Martha’s death in 1880 that the portrait was thought to have become “irrevocably lost” to quote Nicoll again – from 1891.
140 years on from Martha’s death —— the portrait has miraculously resurfaced —— like long lost things have a tendency to do; not lost at all but temporarily mislaid.
The novel that made the wearing of the ‘Pamela Hat’ or ‘Gipsy-Straw’ fashionable in the first half of the nineteenth century — gets a subtle shout-out in chapter I of ‘Jane Eyre’ too — ‘Pamela; or, Virtue Rewarded’ by Samuel Richardson:
In short — “Emily provided the stuff from which Shirley is made,…” and that included Emily’s ‘GIPSY-STRAW’!
Great post again, I enjoyed reading it.
Why is it that Brontë experts generally disagree that is Charlotte’s portrait of Emily when there is quite substantial evidence to believe otherwise?
Thank you so much Vesna.
To answer your question: Clement Shorter seemingly had the final word on the ‘Bonnet Portrait’ more than a century ago – and the so called experts of today just repeat him parrot-fashion – it suits them to. It’s become evidently clear to me that there is a conspiracy of silence that surrounds the ‘Bonnet Portrait’; that way the portrait of Emily by Branwell in the National Portrait Gallery – goes on unchallenged – purporting to be the lost portrait that belonged to Martha Brown and was seen by William Robertson Nicoll in 1879. Of course it isn’t! – because A: The ‘lost’ portrait was a clearly and boldly drawn pencil sketch by Charlotte – never a painting by Branwell.
And B: There is strong evidence that the portrait of Emily by Branwell – is in fact, Anne.
At the meeting I attended on Monday, 15th. April 2019 – the visiting ‘expert’ described the pencil portrait as grotesque! Her ambivalence towards the ‘Bonnet Portrait’ was tangible from the very start of the meeting – and it didn’t improve! Provenance is apparently everything where the Bronte Society is concerned – they are so blinkered by it – and prejudiced against the ‘Bonnet Portrait’ anyway – that it is virtually impossible to make any real headway with the portrait, but I have no intention of giving up – or into the disservice they do Charlotte Bronte and her portrait of her beloved sister Emily. Truth always triumphs eventually – I believe it. The portrait was not only failed on provenance at the meeting – but also stylistically. Okay, I agree there is no provenance to hand – but stylistically, nah; they are talking complete and utter you know what! Who are they trying to fool – and why? I ask the same question as you have myself! X
Thanks for the answer! Things do get very frustrating and even annoying when people are blinkered and stubborn. To me there is even likeness between the woman in the Bonnet Portrait and Emily in Branwell’s Pillar Portrait. But as you say, the truth always triumphs eventually. Glad you are determined to persevere in pursuing it xx
Thank you Vesna for your message – and for your interest and support and belief in the authenticity of the drawing.
I completely concur with you on the likeness of the woman in the drawing and Emily in the Pillar Portrait. And both sitters bear a strong likeness to George Henry Lewes – whom Charlotte compared Emily to in facial likeness, minus George’s whiskers of course!
I think it is a very sad reflection on the Bronte Society as a whole – of which I am a member – that it is so fixed in its ways – that it can’t – indeed won’t – open its eyes to the Truth that is all there on this scrap of ‘J Whatman’ watermarked paper; preconception is such a bad thing. I mean, does the Bronte Society hate the ‘Bonnet Portrait’ of Emily Bronte that much – that it is quite prepared to forsake Charlotte’s portrait of her sister; the ‘lost’ portrait? Sadly, the answer is YES it is. The three representatives of the Bronte Society (assuming that they were/are members?) that saw the ‘Bonnet Portrait’ in the flesh – believe that their idea of what Emily looked like – greatly outweighs Charlotte’s representation on’t paper! And there it is the crux of the matter.
But hey! keep watching this space because Truth and Light is on the side of the ‘Bonnet’ – and under it! X