Distressed Damsels and Life's Little Misadventures
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Distressed damsels and life’s little misadventures Fugitive book engravings from the time of Charlotte Brontë Karen Ball At the time of Charlotte Brontë until the 19th century, knowledge made overt reference to women’s (1816–1855), novels and annuals of book conservation was limited. social misadventures in a way that were very reliant on illustrations. In An interesting outcome of book- would today be classed as politically fact, from 1750 to 1900 illustration breaking is the way in which it incorrect. Illustrated books of the in books was demanded by the alters how removed or ‘fugitive’ 19th century generally perpetuated public due to the need to explain the illustrations are read, particularly in the doctrine of female subjection. story visually.1 There was a relatively a contemporary context; the image In 1835 for example, an English low level of literacy in the general becomes transitory, elusive and open pamphlet directed at women population in 18th- and 19th- to interpretation. Comparisons argued for women’s restriction in century Europe. Some people could can be drawn with the depiction all aspects of life: ‘All independence read print but not cursive script. of a classic book character on the is unfeminine: the more dependant Others could read the black Gothic film screen where a combination that sex becomes, the more it will script of the Bible but little else. In of artistic licence and the actor’s be cherished’.3 Commercial book England, by 1800, some 60 per cent persona radically alters the intention illustrations, however, disguised of men and 40 per cent of women of the author. Many engraved prints any gender bias in a way intended were literate. Widespread publishing originally from books were purchased to appeal to a female romantic of illustrated books influenced from print dealers and became part imagination. Some images showed reader reaction through exaggerated, of private collections; some were the woman (protagonist) as a contrived and often theatrical subsequently bequeathed to art heroine or adventuress at the mercy depictions of social adventures museums and libraries, including the of the elements, such as Lucy and misadventures. Given that Baillieu Library Print Collection at (opposite), stranded on the rocks illustrations in books were so the University of Melbourne. The with waves crashing about her. prominent, and often attributed to prints referred to in this article are Lucy is from The Keepsake, an well-known artists, it is unsurprising part of this collection. English literary annual published that the practice of ‘book-breaking’, Most book illustrations from each Christmas from 1828 to 1857.4 through which images are separated 1750 to 1900 were engravings. The Keepsake was launched by the from their source, became common. These commercial book illustrations artist-engraver Charles Heath, and Book-breaking refers to the commonly featured a woman his name appeared on most of the removal of illustrations or maps as the principal subject and the engravings.5 It contained stories, from books to offer for sale as accompanying title included poems, and illustrations by well- separate entities. Until recent times, reference to her activity. The known artists. Lucy, engraved by book illustrations and maps were woman’s activities, generally of a Heath from a painting by Richard sometimes deemed by art dealers mundane, embarrassing or socially Westall, illustrated a short story by to be more valuable than the book unacceptable nature, were demeaning Sir Walter Scott, which tells the tale of which they were a part.2 Often but intended to be humorous. That of Lucy Hawkins, who met her first the book was in poor condition and, is, engraved book illustrations often love again when he was rescued from 24 University of Melbourne Collections, issue 11, December 2012 Charles Heath after a painting by Richard Westall, Lucy, from The Keepsake, 1829, etching and engraving, image: 9.3 x 12.1 cm. Reg. no. 1959.5061, gift of Dr J. Orde Poynton, 1959, Baillieu Library Print Collection, University of Melbourne. which he then illustrated.6 It could be conjectured that Heath anticipated that inclusion of these high-profile authors would bring him both prestige by association and further monetary gain. Comparison can be made between the subject Lucy and Charlotte Brontë’s novel Jane Eyre, in that both depict a non- stereotypical woman at a similar time in history: someone with strength and determination, pursuing a dream, undaunted by obstacles. Those attributes were not expected of women at the time but Jane Eyre was not a fashionable novel. It had an unfashionable setting and a plain heroine. Nonetheless, its topic of women and human relations has continued to engage readers since its publication in 1847, to the extent that the character, Jane Eyre, has been personified and separated from the sea. Lucy can be seen as a femme composition, while the rocks and the novel. She has emerged from its forte or strong woman, rather than waves have a strong resemblance. pages as a romanticised, archetypal someone involved in frivolous social The woman subject Zella, however, female, recast as something of an activity as were many of the women appears less adventurous and more aspirational role model for women. subjects in book illustrations. Heath restrained than Lucy. Jane Eyre has not only been displaced used a comparable composition for his The 1829 edition of The Keepsake from the confines of a book; like engraving Zella (1830, after Henry was memorable because Charles many engraved illustrations, she has Corbould) to illustrate ‘The evil eye’ Heath, in an entrepreneurial manner, become fashionable. It could similarly by Mary Shelley (also published in actively pursued well-known authors be said that the female protagonists The Keepsake), thus indicating he such as Mary Shelley, Thomas in novels such as Wide Sargasso Sea based both on similar drawings: the Moore, Walter Scott and William and The Eyre affair have been altered subject is placed to the right of the Wordsworth to contribute stories, to suit screen adaptation. Karen Ball, ‘Distressed damsels and life’s little misadventures’ 25 Artist unknown, The pitcher broken, from The Lady’s Magazine, April 1778, engraving, sheet (irregular): 21.5 x 12.4 cm. Reg. no. 1959.5748, gift of Dr J. Orde Poynton, 1959, Baillieu Library Print Collection, University of Melbourne. The duality of Jane Eyre’s context and new media have altered character makes her real, more the way the audience interprets classic human, particularly for the female literature and historic images. The reader. Charlotte Brontë invokes level of visual and textual literacy in the trope of the female romantic the general public today is such that imagination in Jane Eyre, with its a few words accompanying an image promise of liberation from the actual can substantially alter or influence the world, and tells two opposing stories. viewer’s opinion. The self is at the centre of each but portrayed in radically different It’s all in the words ways: one is magically omnipotent The number of books with and triumphant while the other illustrations in which women were is insubstantial and threatened the subject grew exponentially from by outside forces. Further, Brontë 1750, and rather than portraying challenges the view that a woman a mixture of triumphant women was not made for independence—an (such as Lucy or Jane Eyre) and opinion reiterated in mid-19th- insubstantial women, the latter century England. Brontë’s creation became more common. Many book of a heroine who opposed that illustrations featured a woman alone commonly held view appealed to or at the centre of the composition. women then and now. It could be argued that pressure from Modern technology, in the form the public to include illustrations in of film and television series, has books generally led to stereotypical provided further agency for Jane and less flattering representations of Eyre’s fashionable transformation, women. Books were in fact over- so the audience no longer need illustrated and any doubt as to the cataloguing once the plate has been conjure an image of the heroine meaning of the image was dispelled removed from the book and on-sold. through written description or a by the descriptive wording, usually Across the broad spectrum of book small indistinct illustration as was the in large, cursive font at its foot. illustrations, consideration of value case in the early editions of the book. Supply and demand also led to non- and interpretation is made according Jane Eyre now appears on screen for attribution of the artist, engraver to quality of image, name of artist, all to see. For some, the television and date of each illustration. The date, choice of subject and whether series or film is the only version with quality of work was also variable, as the image was illustrative of a text or which they are familiar, and recall of orders were often rushed through to a satirical comment. Jane Eyre is prompted by her image meet demand. Each of these factors The late 18th century also saw on an advertising billboard. Time, has relevance in identification and text and image bound together in 26 University of Melbourne Collections, issue 11, December 2012 Artist unknown, The widow bewitched with her passion, from The Town and Country Magazine, vol. 19, May 1787, engraving, plate: 17.5 x 11.3 cm. Reg. no. 1959.5711, gift of Dr J. Orde Poynton, 1959, Baillieu Library Print Collection, University of Melbourne. annuals and women’s magazines, from which illustrations and engravings were later removed in a similar way to novels.7 These less expensive and more widely distributed publications appealed openly to snobbery in that they depicted relatively affluent lifestyles.