Artworks by Cassandra Austen are going on display at Jane Austen’s House in Chawton as part of the museum’s celebrations of the 250th anniversary of the author’s birth.
But The Art of Cassandra will showcase some of her other works based on their own merit rather than any association with her younger sister.
The exhibition of ten pictures will include examples of her meticulous copywork - a valued artistic skill in the days before photography - alongside lesser-known family portraits.
Among them are Cassandra’s copies of Maria, by Peltro William Tomkins, after John Russell; a plate from a 1786 instruction manual entitled Cipriani’s Rudiments of Drawing; and a print entitled Conjugal Love by Bartolozzi, published in 1786.
Six of them have never been displayed publicly before. This exhibition came about because of recent donations, loans from descendants of the Austen family, and a loan from the Holburne Museum in Bath.
It has been curated by Janine Barchas - professor of English at the University of Texas, Austin and author of The Novel Life of Jane Austen: a graphic biography.
As a testament to Cassandra’s accuracy, for seven of the artworks Janine can show matching prints or bookplates.
She said: “This seemingly modest exhibition of ten artworks is the largest-ever public display of the confirmed artworks of Cassandra Austen.
“Not since Cassandra’s creative years in this very cottage have so many of her surviving artworks been gathered together in one place.
“Four of these artworks were only recently discovered to exist among the possessions of Austen descendants.
“I’m thrilled that they will once again be displayed in the home where the Austen women lived and worked.”
Sophie Reynolds, head of collections, interpretation and engagement at Jane Austen’s House, said: “This is a small display, but a truly exciting one.
“Cassandra was an accomplished artist and for the Austen family her artworks were as important as Jane’s writing.
“Her skill was akin to Jane’s own – neat and careful, with delicacy and lightness of touch, so to see them is a pleasure in itself.
“But more than that, for those interested in Jane Austen, Cassandra’s artworks also remind us of the many paintings and drawings in Jane’s novels.
“It is lovely to think that Cassandra may have inspired these – in particular Elinor Dashwood’s drawings in Sense and Sensibility.
“On moving to Barton Cottage, Jane tells us, the Dashwood women make the house a home by ‘arranging their particular concerns; Marianne’s pianoforte was unpacked and properly disposed of, and Elinor’s drawings were affixed to the walls of their sitting room’ – just as Cassandra’s artworks are today.”
The Art of Cassandra will run from April 29 until June 8. An online version will be available at https://janeaustens.house/
Jane Austen’s House and Janine Barchas will present a virtual talk entitled Cassandra’s Drawings and Drawing Cassandra at https://janeaustens.house/events/virtual-talk-cassandras-drawings-and-drawing-cassandra/ on May 1.