Let’s hear it for the ‘Bonnet Portrait’ of Emily Brontë in the spirit of Charlotte Brontë —— who so passionately loved speaking French; “Vive le Chapeau de Paille!”. . .

Or to call the type of hat worn by Emily Brontë in the ‘Bonnet Portrait’ by another name —— let us hear it for ‘The Gipsy-Straw’.

First things first though. I begin by drawing attention to what’s under the wide brim of this ‘newest’ version of the ‘Gipsy-Straw’ portrait. Surely, only Charlotte Brontë —— could have ‘secretly’ worked these initials, ‘E. B.’ —— into the sitter’s hair. . .
Initials In The Hair; E.B. for Emily Brontë. . .

‘The Initials In The Hair’ —— (and eyes) —— in the watercolour —— are also evident in the drawing. . .

And not only the sitter’s initials, ‘E.B.’ —— but also the artist’s too, ‘C.B.’. . .

Be certain to click on the direct link below —— to read an earlier post that proves beyond doubt that Charlotte Brontë really did integrate initials —— whole words —— names —— sentiments —— into her Art; ‘Spelling It Out: The Art of Steganography In The Art Of Charlotte Bronte.’

http://somethingaboutdartmoor.com/2020/05/02/spelling-it-out-the-art-of-steganography-in-the-art-of-charlotte-bronte/

I think this red-cloaked version is a stunning depiction of Emily suitably attired for the great outdoors; so much so —— I question what it is about the ‘Bonnet’ type portrait —— that originally appeared as a photogravure in the ‘Woman at Home’ in 1894 – that the ‘Bonnet Haters’ really dislike? What is it about Emily’s love of the Gipsy aesthetic that they fail to get? —— but seemingly only when it comes to the ‘Gipsy-Straw’ portrait! What is it that feeds their deep-seated aversion to this portrait ‘type’? 

And why go on idolising —— nay idealising the ‘Profile Portrait’ as ‘Emily’ —— when it’s evidently Anne Brontë?

All the while ignoring a truth —— that Emily in her day-to-day existence craved liberty. Striding over the wiley, windy moors —— almost certainly with a ‘bonnet’ tied down against the wuthering wind and a thick cloak around her shoulders —— was where Emily communed with her Higher Self. Would self-effacing Emily really have been comfortable with an image of ‘herself’ enshrined behind glass for posterity —— that exposes her in an off-the-shoulder dress in a formal setting? I think not. Surely, portraiture is the art of capturing an aspect of the sitter’s inner essence? Emily’s inner essence was her oneness with the great outdoors —— so why wouldn’t the originator of ‘Heathcliff’ —— be seen in a ‘Gipsy-Straw’ and heavy cloak? Especially as Emily’s one and only novel, ‘Wuthering Heights’ is entirely set during the Romantic Movement —— when the ‘Gipsy-Straw’ hat was in it’s heyday. 

The ‘rationale’ against the ‘Gipsy-Straw’ portrait ——can’t solely be down to lack of provenance because everything else points to the fact(s) that Charlotte is the artist responsible – and Emily is undoubtedly the sitter. 

The ‘expert’ that took a shufti at the drawing —— and as quickly cast it aside —— after its long journey up North last year, concluded that the drawing of the ‘Bonnet Portrait’ was “grotesque”. Talk about unnecessary ‘language’ for a small drawing created by an amateur hand —— especially when one looks at many of the drawings and paintings listed under ‘Charlotte’ in ‘The art of the Brontës’; Charlotte was after all an amateur! The expert’s disyllabic argument against the ‘Bonnet Portrait’ literally didn’t make a word of sense then —— or now! The intrinsics of the drawing were overlooked —— as in they weren’t looked at; not even when I offered to lend MY magnifying glass! 

Then a beautiful, timeworn —— autobiographical book by Evangelist, Gipsy Smith —— fell into my hands just a couple of months ago —— and literally opened at this page; a light-bulb moment. . .

Why has the ‘Gipsy-Straw’ portrait of Emily Brontë —— been anathematized in Brontë circles for in excess of a hundred years?

On the surface, the answer lies with literary critic and self-appointed art ‘expert’, Clement Shorter —— who seemingly cursed the ‘Gipsy-Straw’ portrait when he dismissed it thus —— “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.”

Shorter’s ‘findings’ —— quoted in their entirety in the above paragraph —— nay sentence, is ALL that exists on paper against the ‘Gipsy-Straw’ reproduction that appeared in the ‘Woman at Home’ in 1894; a damning ‘sentence’ in more ways than one for the ‘lost’ original(s). There’s no proof whatsoever against the genuine nature of the ‘Gipsy-Straw’ portrait —— only Shorter’s enduring, monotonous, amateur guesswork. ‘Never mind’ either the question mark that still hangs over Shorter’s dealings with his fraudulent business associate, T.J Wise. Shorter really should have stuck to his own discipline which was the business of critiquing Literature; he was definitely no art expert. Or put another way —— if ‘Lady Justice’ put Clement Shorter’s ‘findings’ about the ‘Gipsy-Straw’ portrait and my findings in the balance —— Shorter’s would be left high and dry up in the air! 

Although the pencil drawing and the ‘Red’ version of the ‘Gipsy-Straw’ portrait admittedly lack provenance – my research points to the fact(s) that the portraits are by Charlotte Brontë’s hand and that the sitter is undoubtedly, Emily.

Ever since the ‘Gipsy-Straw’ portrait of Emily Brontë was outed in 1894 —— it has been historically ostracised, despised and rejected —— if not downright marginalised in Brontë literary circles; so why the antipathy towards it?

The photogravure didn’t even get a mention in the dubious section of ‘The art of the Brontës’ catalogue raisonné! Why?

Believe me —— ‘Bonnet Haters’ isn’t name-calling for those that unquestioningly reject the ‘Gipsy-Straw’ portrait on the ‘strength’ of Shorter’s sentence; like the ‘expert’ whose reaction to the pencil drawing was visceral —— not intellectual. It would seem that it’s not acceptable for Emily Brontë, author of ‘Wuthering Heights’ —— to be tarred with the same brush (or pencil in the case of the drawing) that said writer applied to her antihero – that “dark-skinned gipsy” and “little Lascar” ——— ‘Heathcliff’!

When Professor Christopher Heywood’s second academic paper championing the ‘Bonnet Portrait’ was published in 2018 in ‘Brontë Studies’ —— three big Brontë Society guns felt the need to deprecate the article —— and the pencil portrait therein. Why?

Although, reverse thinking-wise —— I’d say it was actually a bit of a hat-trick for the ‘Gipsy-Straw’ camp – because as a Brontë Society member —— I’m afforded online access to all the wealth of back issues of ‘Brontë Studies’ formerly ‘Brontë Transactions’ —— dating back to 1895 no less —— where I’ve yet to find another article that caused a three-pronged barrage —— like the discovery of the lil ole pencil portrait! I think ‘Free-access’ to ‘Brontë Studies’ online —— is one of the best reasons for becoming a member of the Brontë Society —— particularly when one lives as faraway from the Parsonage as I do. I believe in the Brontë Society! —— no thanks though —— to the representatives who unreasoningly dismissed the pencil drawing on Monday, 15th. April 2019 —— without so much as looking at it!

I mean, the fact that Charlotte based her fictional character ‘Shirley’ on her sister, Emily —— had Emily been born into wealthier——healthier circumstances. And that Shirley’s hat of choice was a ‘Gipsy-Straw’; facts I’ve discovered and underscored for myself post-meeting. . . And that ‘Jane Eyre’ was influenced by Samuel Richardson —— that ‘Jane Eyre’ occasionally follows ‘Pamela’ —— the very novel that gave rise to the other name for a ‘Gipsy-Straw’ type hat ‘The Pamela Hat’. . .

Charlotte even gave ‘Pamela’ by Samuel Richardson —— a shout-out in Chapter One no less. . .If that’s not paying homage to the significance of a ‘Gipsy-Straw’ —— I’ll eat my hat!!! The ‘Bonnet portrait’ of Emily Brontë certainly has it’s own story to tell too; it’s a portrait that continues to be conveniently ‘mysterious’ to “undeveloped understanding and imperfect feelings” —— yet to those like myself that are in the know —— it’s a “profoundly interesting” true story that needs telling over and over. . .Charlotte Brontë is an inspiration to me!   

In hindsight, I question why the supposedly better-read Brontë experts in the room that day ——— Monday, 15th. April 2019 —— never thought to bring up Charlotte’s “gipsy-straw” pointers? —— all the while the pencil portrait lay rejected on the research library table!

Of course, there’s an outside chance they hadn’t made these connections for themselves at that point —— in which case I think the ‘Gipsy-Straw’ portrait is due a review! Bear in mind also, that my own ‘Gipsy-Straw’ awakening happened through my ‘reading’ the art of the Brontës —— not their novels. Pity really, that I came too late to ‘Jane Eyre’ and ‘Shirley’ to bring said pointers up at the meeting —— as I should have liked to have heard their responses.

The fortune-teller scene in ‘Jane Eyre’ also mentions a “gipsy hat” by name —— such is its significance in Charlotte’s story-line. . .

In chapter XIX —— Mr. Rochester resorts to cross-dressing as an old mystic woman in order to breakthrough the gender and social barriers that frustrate him and Jane from gettin’ their truth on! In Charlotte’s book —— chapter XIX marks a turning point —— a declaration of Jane’s and Mr. Rochester’s true feelings for one another —— that starts with none other than the propitious appearance of “a broad-brimmed gipsy hat, tied down with a striped handkerchief”. . .

It’s obvious that the ‘Gipsy-Straw’ portrait of Emily Brontë has it’s roots in the ‘Wood-Nymph’ by Samuel Woodforde RA. This original engraving dated 1787 proves that the ‘Wood-Nymph’ went to print twenty-nine years before Charlotte was born —— let alone when Charlotte was active painting miniatures and small portraits —— makes it about fifty!

What I most essentially note about the 1787 engraving —— is the Wood-Nymph’s headscarf or “handkerchief”; that it is latticed as opposed to striped. . .. . . as in Charlotte’s description of the Gipsy’s headscarf in ‘Jane Eyre’ —— where Charlotte exactly describes it as a “striped handkerchief” that’s identifiable also in several versions of the ‘Bonnet Portrait’ —— including the 1894 photogravure. . .

The publication of the 1894 photogravure came much too late to serve as Charlotte’s inspiration for the fortune-teller scene in ‘Jane Eyre’ – so where did her description “a broad-brimmed gipsy hat, tied down with a striped handkerchief” come from? It’s as if Charlotte knew that “gipsy hat” personally——as if she’d seen it before. Having painted and drawn more than one version of the ‘Gipsy-Straw’ portrait —— with either a plain or a striped handkerchief —— I think the stripes are telling. Especially as it was Charlotte’s wont to ‘meticulously’ copy engravings then personalise them by making changes of her own. 

The ‘expert’ that ‘looked’ at the drawing and rejected it —— judged it to be a copy of the 1894 reproduction in the ‘Woman at Home’; a much repeated statement that is nothing short of nonsensical and deployed as a simple diversionary tactic for deflecting away from the obvious. That these portraits are so obviously created long before the photogravure in the ‘Woman at Home’ was published. They’re definitely circa 1840 —— or earlier —— as in the case of the miniature which looks like it was drafted by a younger hand than the other three —— circa 1830. The ‘Blue Version’ bottom right —— has a miniscule date for 1837.

Despite all the repetitive negativity that’s been heaped on the ‘Gipsy-Straw’ portrait for well-over a century, the common press as in newspapers – have kept the ‘Bonnet’ from being metaphorically crushed! Often choosing it over and above the disputed alternative —— to illustrate articles about Emily, even in her bicentenary year. . . 

Above, the original photogravure reproduction published in the ‘Woman at Home’ in 1894. The whereabouts of the original painting as mentioned below the photogravure —— was not known in 1894; 126 years on, I think it’s true to say it’s finally come to Light… 

Ënlightenment where the ‘Gipsy-Straw’ portrait is concerned comes from hither and thither; my timeworn copy of ‘As Jesus Passed By’ —— by the late, great evangelist, Gipsy Smith —— turned up in the recycle shop where I work on Monday, 14th September 2020. I bought it. 

‘Gipsy-Straw‘, or ‘Pamela Hat’, or ‘Bonnet’ —— call it what you will. Though, when it comes to the drawing, only one name fits; ‘The ‘Lost’ Portrait of Emily Brontë’ —— drawn by Charlotte.

The following excerpt (highlighted in blue below) is from an article from The British Weekly for the 5th. November 1896 —— written by Sir William Robertson Nicoll, an early President of the Brontë Society. Nicoll was not only the founder and Chief Editor of ‘The British Weekly’ —— but also of the ‘Woman at Home’ that first published the ‘Bonnet Portrait’ photogravure in 1894. This is Nicoll’s eyewitness account of Charlotte’s pencil portrait of Emily Brontë —— as seen by Nicoll in 1879.

Needless to say, Sir William Roberston Nicoll was a consummate professional in all that he touched and energised. . .

    “In the end of July, 1879, I paid a visit to Haworth and stayed the night at the Black Bull Inn, too closely associated with the memory of Patrick Branwell Brontë. . .On the second day I had an interesting interview with Martha Brown, the faithful servant who nursed all the Brontës and saw them all die. She lived for the most part in Ireland, but had a room in Haworth and paid occasional visits to her relatives there. She seemed for her station an intelligent and refined person, and was very ready to converse about the Brontës, for whom she had a warm love. . .She had all the Brontës’ works and a good many relics that Mr. Bronte had left her, but which she had sold some. One of the most interesting was one of the microscopical manuscript magazines in 32 mo. grey paper. She had once had a copy of the Poems by Currer, Ellis and Acton Bell, with an inscription by Emily Brontë, but had sold it for £5 and a new edition. There was also a good many drawings, by which Charlotte’s were much the most careful. There was only one rough sketch by Emily Brontë and Patrick’s drawing’s were unfinished. But the most precious of the whole, one of surpassing interest, was a pencil sketch of Emily Brontë by Charlotte, which was very clearly and boldly drawn, and that which Martha pronounced an excellent likeness. I endeavoured in vain to purchase it. . .

    “On Martha Brown’s death, which occurred sometime after, I endeavoured to procure some of her relics, and especially the drawing of Emily Brontë. What she left was divided among four sisters, with all of whom I communicated, but was unable to procure or even trace it.” 

The only trouble with the “relics” I’ve researched is that the herd have been historically turned against the ‘Gipsy-Straw’ portrait of Emily Brontë —— and now the only thing I imagine that’s turning —— are ‘the sleepers in that quiet vault’!

Image above —— The lil ‘Gipsy-Straw’ drawing of Emily Brontë —— temporarily laid to rest on the Elm seat of my Great-Granny B’s 18th Century or earlier —— ‘Séance Chair’. The chair was bought in Brixton Market in the 1930’s —— for the express purpose of the Medium to sit on; gosh! —— the stories it could tell! Apart from as you see it here —— it’s not used nowadays, and why would I use it when the pictures communicate without the need for a conduit —— or maybe that is my role writing these posts?  

Posted ‘All Hallows’ Eve’ —— Saturday, 31st. October 2020. To the memory of my Great-Granny B —— and my father, and Pamela —— Great-Granny B’s youngest child (my father’s aunt in fact!) who died not long after this happy photograph was taken at Land’s End in 1937. The tragic loss of Pamela was the reason that Great-Granny B turned to ‘The Medium of The Chair’ for answers and solace. 

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Mei-lan and her crystal singing bowls —— found by chance whilst writing this post; some beautiful resonances to return to…