“Mystery is irksome, and I was glad to shake it off”.

George Richmond: Charlotte Brontë, 1850

What the Brontës Made

Francine Prose

Even those who think they know all there is to know about the Brontë family will likely be surprised by many of the documents and artifacts included in “Charlotte Brontë: An Independent Will,” currently on view at New York’s Morgan Library.

Curated by Christine Nelson, the exhibition reinforces our notions of Charlotte Brontë’s daring, ambition, and courage, and of the tragic circumstances over which she prevailed. In one letter, Charlotte describes the 1848 visit to London during which she and her sisters Emily and Anne revealed to her publishers that the novels they had submitted under male pseudonyms (Currer, Acton and Ellis Bell) had in fact been written by women (“Mystery is irksome, and I was glad to shake it off”). The publisher was initially surprised, but nevertheless decided to show the sisters around London, introducing them not as authors but as his “country cousins” the Misses Brown. Read all: nybooks/what-the-brontes-made

Charlotte Brontë from the Beginnings.

Charlotte Brontë from the Beginnings
New Essays from the Juvenilia to the Major Works
Edited by Judith E. Pike, Lucy Morrison
Routledge
ISBN 9781472453686

Composed of serialized works, poems, short tales, and novellas, Charlotte Brontë's juvenilia merit serious scholarly attention as revelatory works in and of themselves as well as for what they tell us about the development of Brontë as a writer. This timely collection attends to both critical strands, positioning Brontë as an author whose career encompassed the Romantic and Victorian eras and delving into the developing nineteenth century's literary concerns as well as the growth of the writer's mind. As the contributors show, Brontë's authorship took shape among the pages of her juvenilia, as figures from Brontë's childhood experience of the world such as Wellington and Napoleon transmuted to her fictional pages, while her siblings' works and worlds both overlapped with and extended beyond her own. bronteblog

Jane Eyre facsimile manuscript to be published for 'Brontë bibliophiles'.

One of Edmund Garett’s illustrations to Jane Eyre.

Illustration: Courtesy of the British Library and Éditions des Saints Pères

Jane Eyre by Charlotte Brontë

Editions des Saint Pères

Each book is hand numbered from 1 to 1,000

To be released on 2 December 2016

ISBN: 979-10-95457-30-5.

Cover: Avorio

Paper: Fedrigoni Avorio Luxury Paper

Published for the first time

A facsimile of Charlotte Brontë’s 1847 manuscript of Jane Eyre, written in the author’s flowing hand, will be published for the first time in December. This edition of the earliest surviving copy of Brontë’s classic joins a roster of facsimiles published by the French press Éditions des Saints Pères, including Madame Bovary, Les fleurs du mal and The Hunchback of Notre-Dame. The reproduction is accompanied with etchings by Edmund Garrett from an edition published in 1897. According to the publisher, the fair copy is “neat, with most notable revisions and corrections centred around her portrayal of Jane’s encounters with Mr Rochester”.

This 824 page manuscript of Charlotte Brontë’s elegant and nimble handwriting is one of the British Library’s most precious treasures. Because of the great technical challenge that the task of reproducing it presents, the manuscript has remained unpublished until today. Les Saints Pères has taken on the challenge. An edition limited to 1,000 hand numbered copies

Set in Northern England, during the reign of George III. From the heroine’s turbulent childhood  to her discovery of love and all its tragic implications, to the birth of her first son: Jane Eyre is one of the greatest bildungsromans of all time. In August 1847, Charlotte Brontë received a letter from the publisher Smith and Elder, rejecting her first novel but adding, ‘that a work in three volumes would [be met] with careful attention’. She then sent them this unique manuscript—no earlier drafts are known to survive today. Published in October 1847, the novel was an immediate success.

The three volumes of this manuscript, reproduced using only the finest materials, are presented together in a deluxe slipcase. Included: etchings by Edmund Garrett from an 1897 edition of the novel.

Each volume is hand assembled, bound and sewn with end-band and bookmark. Each book is printed on luxury paper. The slipcase and book cover ornamentations are made using gilded iron. Our books are printed with vegetal ink, on environment friendly paper.

Éditions des Saints Pères co-founder Nicholas Tretiakow hailed the novel as “a compelling gem of English literature, a novel so many of us hold close to our hearts”. “We wanted to rise to the challenge and offer this beautiful and rich manuscript to the public for the very first time,” he said.

Tretiakow’s co-founder Jessica Nelson said that the pair were inspired to set up the press after attending an exhibition of manuscripts and first drafts in Paris 10 years ago. “We were totally moved and astounded by what we saw. We already had a passion for literature but we were astonished,” she said. “Nicholas said that in 10 years’ time we would create our own publishing house and specialise in the production of manuscripts, and that’s what we’ve done.”

According to Nelson, print runs are limited to 1,000 or 2,000 copies per book, with reproductions aimed at bibliophiles, collectors and those passionate about a particular author. The Jane Eyre copies will be priced at more than £200, and Éditions des Saints Pères plans to follow the novel’s release with further titles in English next year. (Alison Flood)

theguardian/jane-eyre-facsimile-manuscript-to-be-published-for-bronte-bibliophiles-edmund-garrett

New film reveals Brontë sisters' forgotten Lancashire links.

In Brontë Footsteps: Tracy Chevalier visits Wycoller from Fully Formed Films on Vimeo.

THE BRONTË siblings’ wanderings around the moors above the Haworth parsonage sometimes took them across the border into Lancashire. And now a short film has been made to spotlight the Red Rose County’s little-known Brontë connections. keighleynews

Charlotte Brontë at The Morgan Library & Museum's Charlotte Brontë: An Independent Will exhibition

Kimberly Eve of Victorian Musings is telling about

America finally meets Charlotte Brontë at The Morgan Library & Museum's Charlotte Brontë: An Independent Will exhibition September 9, 2016 through January 2, 2017

Read more: kimberlyevemusings

The Fashions Of Anne Brontë And Her Sisters.

Nick Holland is telling on his weblog Anne Bronte

about The Fashions Of Anne Brontë And Her Sisters

Gawthorpe Hall and Charlotte Bronte.

nationaltrust/gawthorpe-hall

The Kay-Shuttleworth family who lived at the Hall in the 19th century came to hear about Charlotte Bronte, who was becoming a well known author, and invited her to stay, which she did on a couple of occasions.

Vesna Armstrong visited the Hall. On her weblog you can see photographes of the Hall and the garden, the Great Barn and the entrances. Vesna Armstrong/gawthorpe-hall-and-charlotte-bronte

13 October 1843 Charlotte writes to Ellen Nussey from Brussels.

13 October 1843

Charlotte writes to Ellen Nussey from Brussels:

'It is a curious position to be so utterly solitary in the midst of numbers - sometimes this solitude oppresses me to an excess'. She continues to describe how she was driven to give her notice to Mde Heger, but upon hearing this Mon Heger 'sent for me the day after - and pronounced with vehemence his decision that I should not leave ... so I promised to stay a while longer ... I have much to say Ellen ... which I do not like to trust to a letter, but which one day perhaps or rather one evening - if ever we should find ourselves again by the fireside at Haworth or at Brookroyd with our feet on the fender - curling our hair - I may communicate to you'.

Visit the Manuscript of 'Jane Eyre' in New York.

How did Charlotte Brontë go from scribbling in secret to one of England’s (and literature’s) most famous names? Look for the answer in a passage in Jane Eyre, in which her famously plain heroine tells her husband-to-be that she is a “free human with an independent will.” That bold declaration is at the center of a new exhibition at the Morgan Library & Museum in New York—one that celebrates the author’s 200th birthday with a look at the forces that turned her into a writer.

Brontë has been at the center of literary legend since her first published novel, Jane Eyre, appeared under a pseudonym in 1847. The book was immediately loved and loathed for emotions that flew in the face of convention and courtesy, and the identity of its author became a much-contested question. But even after Brontë was discovered to be the person behind the pen name Currer Bell, myths about her childhood, her family members and the atmosphere in which she became an author have persisted. Read all the article; smithsonianmag

'A remarkable, gritty quality'

Source

The Daily Mail features Sally Wainwright and her forthcoming To Walk Invisible.

Sally Wainwright, who wrote TV hits Happy Valley and Last Tango In Halifax, has slammed period shows for projecting a ‘very sanitised, 21st-century television view of history’.
Wainwright made the comments while discussing her new BBC film To Walk Invisible, about the Bronte siblings — Charlotte, Emily, Anne and brother Branwell — and their clergyman father Patrick, who is played by Jonathan Pryce.
I noted that the marvellously acted movie, which will be shown on BBC1 later this winter, has a remarkable, gritty quality to it.
‘Well, I really didn’t want to create a Sunday evening chocolate box thing,’ she said. ‘We have a slightly manicured view of what the past was like.
‘Often history is about wealthy rich people — and about men. We get so many costume dramas, which are very popular and people love them.
‘But they’ve all got very white teeth! They’re all immaculate,’ she complained of the period programmes on both the BBC and ITV.
‘It’s a very sanitised, 21st- century television view of history. When I watch certain period dramas, I often feel it wouldn’t be weird if someone whipped out a mobile phone. It wouldn’t look out of place, because everything is so clean and slick and polished — and healthy and hygienic.
‘I don’t want people to feel like that,’ she added.
Sally Wainwright, a daughter of Yorkshire — raised in Sowerby Bridge ten miles from Haworth, home of the Brontes — said that Charlotte and Emily both had poor teeth
Wainwright, a daughter of Yorkshire — raised in Sowerby Bridge ten miles from Haworth, home of the Brontes — said that Charlotte and Emily both had poor teeth.
The portrait that Wainwright presents in her film, which she also directed, certainly feels authentic. I was struck by how the actors captured the sense of a proper family: one who argued, and swore at each other — yes, even in the 1840s.
Wainwright established a kind of Bronte boot camp at a rented house on the moors at Haworth, where cast members Finn Atkins (Charlotte), Chloe Pirrie (Emily), Charlie Murphy (Anne) and Adam Nagaitis as Branwell did Bronte things for a week.
‘I wanted them together, so they’d feel like a family,’ she explained.
They were shown around the Bronte Parsonage Museum by principal curator Ann Dinsdale; and one evening they had dinner with Juliet Barker, who wrote a biography of the Brontes in 1995.
‘And somebody came and told them how to write with ink. We had a whole afternoon of getting our fingers covered in ink,’ Wainwright recalled gleefully.
‘By the end of the week they were so bonded.’
The film’s focus is about how well Branwell bonded with alcohol and opium — and how his sisters had to tip-toe around him for much of the time, ‘probably half-loving and half-hating him’.
But somehow, the sisters managed to produce great works of literature, including Jane Eyre and Wuthering Heights; while Branwell, who had undeniable talent, produced nothing and has, Wainwright said, become famous ‘for failing’. (Baz Bamigboye)

bronteblog 

Photographs of the exposition in The Morgan Library in New York. In honor of Charlotte Brontë 's 200th birthday

I am happy to show you these photographes from Anne Lloyd

She visited the exposition in The Morgan Library in New York

Here's what Anne is blogging about it

""In honor of Charlotte Brontë 's 200th birthday, The Morgan Library in New York is having, what can only be called an historic exhibit.  On display, for the first time in American, are both the George Richmond 1850 portrait of Charlotte and the famous " column"  portrait of the three sisters by their brother Branwell.

I  never expected they would leave the UK. Branwell's  portrait of his  three sisters is usually always on display at the National Portrait Galley in London. But because it is subject to fading, the 1850  chalk  portrait of CB  Richmond is not normally on display even in the UK...but here it is in New York!. Read more  on stayathomeartist

Close up of CB's dress

Charlotte Brontë 's writing desk

themorgan.org/exhibitions/charlotte-bronte

Red House Museum will close by 31 March 2017

So Kirklees Council voted to close the Red House Museum. Shame on you. No budget adjustment, no austerity fundamentalism can justify to sell your own history.  From The Telegraph and Argus:

A final decision has been taken today to close a museum with strong links to the Brontës amid cuts to the museums and galleries budget in Kirklees.
Red House Museum in Gomersal is one of two museums that will close by the end of March next year at the latest as Kirklees Council centres on retaining three museum venues under its new vision for culture in the district.
The authority’s museums and galleries budget is being cut by half from April next year, and plans were therefore drawn up to restructure the service.
The decision was taken yesterday by the council’s cabinet to close historic Red House, where Charlotte Brontë was a frequent visitor, immortalising the house in her second novel, Shirley, as well as Dewsbury Museum. [...]
Last week, John Thirwell, chairman of the Brontë Society, said it was “concerned and saddened” to learn of the likely closure of Red House, but said it would continue conversations with the authority to explore how the Brontës’ links with the building could be maintained.
But, during yesterday’s meeting, Graham Turner, cabinet member for Creative Kirklees, said the society were “not interested” in taking on the site.
He said: “We have spoken to many organisations in the museums and heritage sector, and no-one has expressed an interest in taking on any of the sites.”
On Red House, he said: “We have spoken to the Brontë Society, they are not interested.”
He said that cuts to Government funding had led to the budget for the museums service being cut by £531,000.
“No-one in this chamber wants to cut the museums service,” he said.
“But, this is not a statutory service, we didn’t have to do a consultation but we went out of our way to engage with the public.
“If anyone has any ideas on how we can save these services, then please speak to us, immediately.” (Rob Lowson)

BBC News reports it as well:

A museum with close links to the Brontës is set to close under plans to restructure museums and galleries in an area of West Yorkshire.
Kirklees Council voted to close Dewsbury Museum and Red House Museum in Gomersal at a cabinet meeting. [...]
Opponents said the Red House Museum building should be protected because of its history and links to the Brontës.
Charlotte Brontë often visited Red House and featured it in her novel Shirley.
As well as an exhibition in honour of the author, the museum, which was once home to a cloth merchant, charts what life was like in the 1830s.
Supporters of Dewsbury Museum, which has recently been renovated, urged officials to keep it open.
The town's museum is the oldest in the district, opening to visitors in 1896.
It features a toy gallery and a recreation of a classroom in the 1940s.
The Labour-led authority said its hands were tied due to austerity measures, and Dewsbury and Red House would close by 31 March 2017.
It said it was willing to hold talks with any group, or interested parties about future uses for the museum buildings.
Both museums have seen a sharp fall in visitors in recent years.
In 2011-12, Red House had 26,665 visitors, compared to 6,679 in 2015/16

March 31 being the anniversary of the death of Charlotte Brontë. bronteblog

List of what the Morgan CB show have on exhibit.

I received this message from Anne Lloyd

She had a press preview for the Morgan CB show!Here's a list of what she saw on exhibit 

List of what the Morgan CB show have on exhibit 

Branwell's column painting of his sisters

The CB Richmond portrait

CB 's 1850 dress/ little blue flower print

CB's boots

a 1856 copy of CB's birth registry

Patrick's copy of of the certificate of registry for CB's marriage
(church copies of the documents in their records)

CB and ABN's Marriage license

CBN's will

Letters from CB to William S. William about the passing
of Branwell and Anne's decline

An copy book from Charlotte's Brussels school days

The famous water color portrait of Anne in profile done by CB

The Misses Bronte's Establishment handout

Funeral cards for Branwell, Emily and Charlotte

PB's cottage poems

Currer, Ellis and Acton Bell poems

CB's handwritten manuscript of " Jane Eyre"

CB's handwritten manuscript of " The Professor"

CB's earliest known production...1829 " book for Ann"

A manuscript of Anne's poetry

A manuscript of Emily poetry

A story in Branwell's hand

Oldest photo of the Parsonage

CB's Roe Head diary

CB's list of " what I written so far" "
Tales of the Islanders" etc.

CB's Writing desk

CB's Paint box

Mary Taylor's personal copy of Jane Eyre, CB sent
to New Zealand and Mary's letter to CB about it

Contemporary published editions of all the sister's books

sermon notes of PB from 1811 based on Mathew 3:11

A good many drawings

little men magazines

CB's Atlas

Photo of Arthur Bell Nicholls

Photo of Rev Bronte

Rev Bronte's copy of the book of Common Prayer

One of Patrick 's letters where he sent snippets of CB 's
hand writing upon request

Wow, this really is a very good collection
I wished I could see it

Bodice and gloves from Charlotte Bronte.

Charlotte Bronte was tiny: 4’10”. This is her bodice, so small a 10 yr old couldn’t fit it today
Twitter/Tracy_Chevalier

Here are some tiny gloves embroidered w places Charlotte travelled

Brontë stones initiative.

More news on the Brontë stones initiative in The Telegraph & Argus:

Plans to install a commemorative stone celebrating the life of Charlotte Brontë at her Thornton birthplace have been submitted to Bradford Council.
The stone will mark the bicentenary of the birth of the older of the literary Brontë sisters, and is part of a wider project to create memorials to younger sisters Emily and Anne, as well as their brother Branwell. 

The Brontë Stones project has been developed by the Bradford Literature Festival, and this application has been submitted by writer Michael Stewart. 

The first stone will be installed on the outside of the Brontë birthplace, 72 - 74 Market Street in Thornton. 

The project is being supported by both Bradford Council and the Arts Council, and will involve high profile writers composing words for the four stones - which will eventually create a trail from Thornton to Haworth.

The planning application, submitted this week, says: “The stones will be inscribed with specially commissioned writing from some of the most prominent writers in the world. “This will generate a lot of positive publicity for Bradford and visitors.” (...) A decision on the application is expected in October. (Chris Young)