North Texas Region
Jane Austen, Vermeer, and Whist
April 6, 2008
Jan Vermeer: Woman with a
Water Jug (1660-1662)
The spring meeting of the North Texas Region was held on Sunday, April 6, at the Hackberry Creek Country Club, where JASNA President Marsha Huff presented her talk “Viewing Austen through Vermeer’s Camera Obscura” to a standing room-only crowd.
Illustrating her topic with images of Vermeer’s paintings, Ms. Huff compared the works of art to scenes from several of Austen’s novels, paying particular attention to both artist’s and author’s portrayal of the interior life of their subjects. Region members Baronda Bradley and Alvin Burns took part in the presentation with skillful readings of selected scenes from the novels.
Following the lecture, Ms. Bradley and Craig Kinney taught the card game whist to over 60 Region members ranging in age from 13 to 80. Unlike Mr. Collins, everyone in attendance quickly acquired the skills to master the game!
North Texas Region members mastered the game of whist.
President Huff’s appearance was made possible through funding provided by the Jane Austen Society of North America.