Fans of the brooding Mr. Darcy, then, may wish to look away now. In fact, a real-life Mr. Darcy of his day was more likely to have a long nose, pointed chin, powdered white hair and a pale complexion, according to historians. The team, led by Professor John Sutherland, have unveiled what they claim to be the “first historically accurate portrait” of Mr. Darcy. The team subsequently concluded that, unlike Colin Firth and Matthew Macfadyen’s depictions of Mr. Darcy, the character would have had slender, sloping shoulders and a modestly-sized chest. What’s fantastic about Jane Austen’s writing is that Mr. Darcy is both of the era and timeless.”The research was commissioned by TV channel Drama to celebrate its Jane Austen season.

Source: National Post February 09, 2017 17:03 UTC