Madame Tussaud created the famous exhibition of wax figures in London. And it has a remarkable history.
After the death of her father in the Seven Year War, Marie Tussaud and her mother left Strasbourg to settle in Bern in Switzerland. Dr Phillippe Curtius , a physician, who was well-known for his anatomical wax models, employed the little girl. And when he moved to Paris, he took the 6 year old apprentice with him.
Her very first wax model was of Jean-Jacques Rousseau in 1778 and she began showing a remarkable talent. By the time she was 17 she became the art tutor to King Louis XVI’s sister, Madame Elizabeth, at the Palace of Versailles.
The French Revolution
During the French Revolution, Marie was imprisoned for 3 months awaiting execution, but was released due to the intervention of an influential friend. To show her allegiance to the Revolution, Madame Tussaud was forced to make death masks of the aristocracy who had been guillotined. This of course included King Louis XIV and Marie Antoinette. The masks were put on spikes and placed in the Place de la Concorde for display.
After the death of her mentor, who left her all his masks and waxworks, Tussaud decided to start a new life across the waters in England in the early 1800s.
Marie Tussaud in Britain
She spent the next 36 years taking her travelling show across the British Isles, seeking fame and glamour. The show gave ordinary folk the opportunity to see famous figures they had only heard about. In 1835 Madame Tussaud & Sons set up a permanent exhibition on Baker Street, They called it the ‘Baker Street Bazaar’.
For only sixpence, visitors could see the Tussaud’s waxworks. The exhibition included the famous Chamber of Horrors and artefacts from the French Revolution. The highlight was the guillotine believed to have been the one used to execute Marie Antoinette. In 1884 the exhibition moved to its present location in Marylebone Road.
Madame Tussaud’s in Marylebone
A panel of senior executives consider requests and current events when deciding on wax models. They then put 30 sculptors and many specialist technicians to work out of the west London workshop.
The first sitting for a waxwork lasts at least 4 hours. And over 200 hundred photographs from every angle help get a 3D image. And every conceivable measurement is taken. Hair samples and false eyes are taken to the sitting to get the colours as close as possible to the real thing. And even an impression of the famous person’s teeth and a plaster mould of their hands are made.
The first model of the heads are made of clay. Then the ‘okay’ was given to start on the actual wax work. Translucent wax is used to make it look like human skin. And many layers of oil paint is used to get the skin tone, veins and freckles absolutely right. Inserting over 10,000 individual hairs can take over 4 weeks. It’s the detail that makes the difference.
The Queen at Tussaud’s
After 4 months of hard work, Madam Tussauds just unveiled their 23rd waxwork of the Queen for the Diamond Jubilee celebrations. This wax work cost over £150,000. 53,000 Swarovski crystals decorate her dress. She is wearing a copy of the state diadem, created in 1820. And copies of jewels which belonged to Queen Victoria.
Politicians, pop stars, actors, sports stars – all sorts of famous people are still the draw of the museum. There are branches across the globe: And visitors from around the world keep Madame Tussaud’s dream of sensationalism and her dark tourism alive.
Enjoy the London Eye too while you are in London
