barbara heritage, who was two years ahead of me at uva, and who had been in my nohrnberg spenser class, is the curator of a jane eyre exhibition for the uva rare books school. the exhibition is being held in the rotunda dome room, and has the charming name of eyre apparent.

[excerpt]

“The first illustrated editions,” said Heritage, “focused on landscape scenes and Brontë herself.” However, later editions focused more on Jane, and she’s seen as anything but plain. One edition, published around 1900, shows Jane as a Gibson girl with blonde hair and bright red lips. Another cover depicts her as a Pre-Raphaelite figure, a wistful beauty with windswept hair. There’s also a 1940s starlet Jane, glancing longingly over her shoulder.

“Things accelerate in terms of ‘pretty,’” Heritage said. “So by the 1940s, you have a souped-up Joan Fontaine on [the] cover. This edition was designed to send off to soldiers overseas.” An even later edition shows Jane in a hooded cape, bearing an uncanny resemblance to actress Barbara Billingsley, who played June Cleaver in the 1950s sitcom, “Leave It to Beaver.”

it runs till may 1st. von is going to charlottesville to do google recruiting some time this semester, and i rather want to make a trip down myself, as i haven't been back since april '04. perhaps we could manage to be there at the same hour. i'd like to pop in to see this exhibition.