I don’t doubt for one minute that this pencil drawing is a genuine ‘lost’ artwork by one of the Brontë Sisters —— of two of the Brontë Sisters, namely Charlotte and Anne.
Because on the surface it differs in style from all the other ‘lost’ portraits I’ve shone a light on —— that I attribute to Charlotte’s hand —— I lean towards Emily’s hand for ‘one’ reason.
If one scrutinises this singled-out area (highlighted) —— it’s possible to see just some of the thousands of ‘hidden’ micro-sized numbers that make up the whole drawing; it’s no sketch!
In this area they are like little vertical number stacks but they have to be perceived. . . 
Believe me, this ‘sketch’ has been executed by no ordinary person —— it’s been painstakingly drawn by a very fastidious hand, that of a genius. Every straight line and every cross-hatched area is comprised of micro-sized numbers; it’s truly a phenomenon to behold —— and to hold.
I can see the exact same mind-blowing technique in Emily’s drawing of ‘Grasper’ —— even in this small, b/w book illustration!!!
‘Grasper’ —— drawn from life by Emily Brontë featured on page 376 of ‘The Art of The Brontës’ —— the official catalogue raisonné —— compiled by Christine Alexander and Jane Sellars, published 1995.
So I really don’t get what excuse the keepers of the official collection in Haworth have for not noticing what’s reet under their noses! The Brontës all did it! —— Charlotte, Branwell, Emily and Anne —— I’d stake my ‘Bonnet’ on it!
Of course, what this featured ‘sketch’ and all the other ‘lost’ drawings need is the kind of amazing science seen on [Fake or Fortune?] and then the truth within would be exposed for certain. In the meantime, I only have a phone camera at my disposal but I have done my best to capture a hint of what lies ‘hidden’ in all of them.
Disappointingly, my single-handed efforts continue to be a case of ‘One can lead a horse to water but One can’t make it drink.’ —— as in I can’t make the Brontë Establishment SEE if they won’t remove their blinkers. . .
Not an elephant in the room but an extraordinary blinkered horse; Emily was ever the prophetic One! And note ‘Wuthering Heights’ is on’t back wall.
A slant of light shone on this area has highlighted where the artist’s pencil has been scored into the paper —— proving that the micro-sized numbers are not marks or shadows in the paper texture.
Verso there are several individual sketches. . .
‘Unbelievably’ these ‘doodles’ reveal the same micro-sized numbers —— even the heavenward manicule —— rotated here for easier viewing. . .
Look closely —— as if looking through the lines. Hand drawn manicules were clearly something that the Brontes used in the margins of text.
A manicule drawn by Charlotte featured on page 262 of ‘The Art of The Brontes’ —— the official catalogue raisonné —— compiled by Christine Alexander and Jane Sellars, published 1995.
“Where possible Charlotte avoided drawing hands and never seems to have copied the usual exercises in hands and feet from contemporary drawing manuals, as she did in the case of eyes, mouths, ears, etc.”¹
In other words hands were Charlotte’s weak point —— something that’s clearly evident in these three ‘lost’ artworks. . .
Image can be enlarged in a new window by clicking on it. Notice how the hands of both figures in the ‘Sisters’ ‘sketch’ are poorly executed too —— maybe a trait that points to Charlotte’s hand rather than Emily’s?
In the Bronte Society’s ‘The Lost Manuscripts’ —— this manicule is attributed to Emily’s hand.
For a closer comparison. Note the shape of the tips of the middle fingers —— they are the same.
One of the most telling pieces of evidence that the drawing is a depiction of two of the Brontë Sisters —— Charlotte seated and Anne bending —— is that Anne is identified by the artist in writing——disguised as a squiggle on her dress sleeve. . .
And Charlotte is identified by a deliberate ‘C’ on the artist’s palette. . .
An artistic trait that I would usually attribute to Charlotte’s hand —— see this previous post:
The condescending Brontë expert that casually looked at this drawing in person in April 2019 and swiftly rejected it as not by any of the Brontë siblings —— felt the need to remark that if she had the time she could find me the engraving that it was copied from —— there’s still no feedback on that one four years on! Of course, it was her offhanded way of telling me that the drawing (in her view only) is not drawn from life. I totally disagree with that expert. Perhaps if she had removed her blinkers for just a moment and gotten herself a magnifying glass —— she might have perceived the phenomenal detail that’s ‘hidden’ in each and every line of this ‘lost’ Brontë ‘sketch’. It’s all in the detail.
1. Page 246 ‘The Art of The Brontes’ by Christine Alexander and Jane Sellars.
am shocked an not- 4 years wait for expertise be fulfilled? Blinkered is a kind word. B.Soc tell/assure me Curators always do their best to answer queries and assist research within a reasonable time.. I am, in cause of their advice, registering complaint about the professional conduct of BPM’s senior representative. Have had obstruction from prev Curator too, who describes Patrick’s intimate caption of 6th dk Devonshire (wi 6 fingers! & signature black cravat) a ‘dishevelled man with leering expression and raised glass’, ’tis the legendary jaw o the ‘Bachelor’ duke (Society’s most eligible men refused to marry under punitive law) celebrating C’s success with ‘Bolton Abbey’, Leeds 1834, they celebrating fact she was the first female exhibitor- the Bachelors already supported lawmaker/author/rebel/pioneer Caroline Norton, Landseer went on to support (Bronte cubs o course) ‘upstarts’, Byron’s daughter Mary Lovelace (Babbage), Mary Evans (pen George Eliot), Flo Nightingale among waifs an strays, HM’s devoted agent for women’s liberty. Back to BPM ‘blinkeration’, am hoping file my account of BPM Curatorial conduct, not corresponding with Society’s expectations ever during some 13 years patient correspondence, quite disgracefully, seeming corrupted/self-interested, ‘blinkered’. Another researcher been waiting long time she says, for return of rare book. The More B.Soc know about her field performance the better for all. xjam
Hello James,
Thank you for your message and understanding.
No names, no pack drill! – hence I have ever so slightly edited your comment accordingly! But yes thee and me KNOW. So too will anyone else that has dared to question the Bronte Establishment’s authority.
Of course, the blinkered ones know who they ARE.
The meeting that I attended in April 2019 was orchestrated from the start. Apart that is, when I requested their decision in writing!
I was outnumbered 3:1.
The ‘non-resident’ expert in attendance was antagonistic from the off – she didn’t like any of the drawings – least of all the ‘Bonnet’ drawing and ‘The Sisters’ drawing featured in this post; she was noticeably unsettled by ‘The Sisters’ drawing.
In a nutshell, that’s the problem with the Bonnet Portrait of Emily Bronte; the Bronte Establishment have had a very, very long time to decide they do not like the portrait ‘type’ regardless of whether Charlotte drew the original!!! – which she did; it is microscopically signed, ‘C Bronte’ in Emily’s left eye. They don’t want their authority challenged by a portrait ‘type’ they regard as dead and buried – that also challenges the so called ‘lost’ portrait of ‘Emily’ by Branwell in the National Collection. All evidence points to the fact that it’s a portrait of Anne Bronte but still the Bronte Establishment prefer to idealise Branwell’s portrait of Anne – as Emily!!! It’s an historic can of worms that the Bronte Establishment keep from being opened.
The artworks that I brought to them in all good faith (to Bronte HQ in Haworth from Devon) were not once handled. They didn’t even look at them – let alone through any sort of magnification, under a bright light! The meeting was a sham from start to finish.
I was that disillusioned – I didn’t even look around the Parsonage with my free pass; indeed, I couldn’t wait to get out of the closeted atmosphere. I found sanctuary in the beautiful church and graveyard.
The pictures that I feel so passionately about and write about are genuine. Several have faint or minuscule signatures – ‘C Bronte’.
One day, the official Bronte Establishment’s letter (that I requested) rejecting five of the artworks – including ‘Little Red Riding Hood’ ‘The Sisters’ and ‘The Bonnet’ pencil drawing – will come into its own. The letter arrived by email the very next day; such was the Bronte Establishment’s haste to officially write-off ‘The Bonnet’.
The Truth about the Bonnet Portrait of Emily Bronte will out eventually. So too the Bronte Establishment’s standard of connoisseurship will be called out.
Since April 2019 – five more ‘lost’ artworks have come my way to help fight the good ‘Bonnet’ fight. None of them have been judged by the Bronte Establishment simply because I haven’t wasted my time and energy contacting Bronte HQ this time round; my last experience was so utterly unhelpful – it was a sham of a meeting.
Thank you James for your support – and for sharing your insightfulness on this matter.