An examination of the illustrations of Austen’s novels

Speaker: Professor Emeritus Chris Browne

Jane Austen has painted in our imaginations a vision of the English world that she inhabited over 200 years ago. The original editions of her six novels had no illustrations, but from the late 19th century, many artists have attempted to enhance her words with pictures drawn from their own imaginations. Professor Browne will discuss a selection of these images, mainly drawn from his extensive collection of illustrated editions of Austen. He will ask the audience to judge whether a picture is worth a thousand words of her writing in this, the 250th anniversary year of her birth.

Presented by: City of Melbourne Libraries and Jane Austen Society of Melbourne
at East Melbourne Library, Meeting room, Level 1,122 George Street, East Melbourne