What Did She Look Like?

This silhouette was found in one of Jane Austen's books and is believed to be Jane Austen.

What do we really know about one of the most famous English woman authors of all time and can what we know of her inform us of what she looked like.  There are several sketches and paintings, many were published well after her death so they can't be trusted.  Her sister Cassandra Austen painted one of only known paintings done when she was alive, but Cassie wasn't the best painter of people and Jane was getting older when she sat for the portrait.

This is the portrait of Jane Austen by her sister.

This is called the Jane Austen Rice painting, it was owned by Henry Rice who was a distant relative of the late great Jane Austen and this painting was by Ozias Humphry in 1790, when Jane was a mere 15 years old.  The family has always believed in this painting and so do I.

Jane was tall, had brown hair and brown eyes.  She was fashion forward and said to be nice looking.

I go into far more detail and have far more paintings and portraits in this lens http://www.squidoo.com/jane-austens-portrait