35026 - “Miss Jane Bennet” Young Woman, 1800-20

“Miss Jane Bennet” Young Woman, 1800-20

“It is a truth universally acknowledged, that a single man in possession of a good fortune, must be in want of a wife” said Jane Austen in her book Pride & Prejudice. And a young women in search of a husband wants to put her best foot forward. Here Miss Jane Bennet does just that, accessorizing her fashionable dress with the perfect pieces. In her hand she carries an embroidered silk purse known as a reticule. This elegant but simple bag would carry a few coins, a delicate handkerchief, and maybe a letter or two. In her other hand is a parasol, a small umbrella used to shield one’s face from the harsh sun though she is currently using it to help strike a fashionable pose.