Portrait of Edward Austen

Object name: Portrait of Edward Austen, later Knight

Object number: CHWJA:JAH93

Category: Objects

Description: Half-length portrait of Jane Austen’s third brother Edward Austen, later Knight (1767–1852), as a young man. Oil on canvas, 74 x 63cm. Artist unknown.

Made: circa 1782

Context: Jane’s brother, Henry Austen, told the story of how Thomas and Catherine Knight of Godmersham first met Edward whilst on their honeymoon in 1779 and were so charmed by the ten-year-old that they adopted him.

This tells only half the story.  The Austen boys were the closest male relatives to Mr Knight, and rather than adopting him in the modern sense, there was an understanding that Edward would be the heir to the considerable estates in Hampshire and Kent, should Thomas and Catherine be childless.  Edward remained at home in Steventon to be educated by his father, although he spent many holidays with the Knights.

It was in his late teens that Edward went to live with the Knights (and was promptly sent on a Grand Tour). By then, it was clear they were unlikely to have children of his own, and Thomas’s will was changed to leave a life interest to Catherine, with Edward as the heir upon her death. Thomas died in 1794, but Catherine handed the estates over to Edward in 1798. It is through this inheritance that Edward was able to offer his mother and sisters a home at Chawton Cottage.  He changed his name to Knight upon Catherine’s death in 1812 in accordance with her wishes.

This portrait is believed to have been commissioned in 1782 by Thomas Knight when Edward was thirteen.  The face is well painted, but the body and background are not considered to be of the same standard. Although preparatory watercolour sketches for the painting exist in private ownership, the artist is unknown. Romney has been suggested (he painted Mr and Mrs Knight in 1783), but it is more likely to be by John Hoppner, then at the start of his career, based on a payment of five guineas that was made to him recorded in Thomas Knight’s accounts.

The portrait passed through the family of Edward’s second daughter, Elizabeth, until it was sold in 1991. The portrait was purchased for Jane Austen’s House in 2002 with the help of a grant from the V&A.

Other objects you might like: