Lot Essay
Cassandra Austen was the authoress Jane's favourite sister, in whose arms she died. The provenance of this silhouette can be traced to Jane Austen's immediate family: Frederick Lovering was a Cornish businessman who bought "Austen" memorabilia from the grand-daughters of Jane Austen's youngest brother, Admiral Charles John Austen, who also lived in Cornwall from 1920-1930 (see lot 78).
There is only one other silhouette known of Cassandra Austen, illustrated in Leonard Morgan May's monograph on John Miers A Master of Silhouette, (1938, p. 45, no. 63, sold Sotheby's, 22 February 1985, lot 50). To judge from the sitter's dress in both silhouettes they date from about 1813 when Cassandra would have been 40 years old, but as both portraits depict her as a youthful sitter they may be reworked from an earlier likeness by Miers.
We are grateful to Miss Deidre Le Faye for her help in preparing this catalogue entry.
(see illustration on back cover)
There is only one other silhouette known of Cassandra Austen, illustrated in Leonard Morgan May's monograph on John Miers A Master of Silhouette, (1938, p. 45, no. 63, sold Sotheby's, 22 February 1985, lot 50). To judge from the sitter's dress in both silhouettes they date from about 1813 when Cassandra would have been 40 years old, but as both portraits depict her as a youthful sitter they may be reworked from an earlier likeness by Miers.
We are grateful to Miss Deidre Le Faye for her help in preparing this catalogue entry.
(see illustration on back cover)