Madame Tussauds and the wax Museum

Today I will tell you the story of an interesting Museum and recall some moments from the biography of Anna Maria. Interest in famous people has always attracted attention. Each of us at least once in his life wanted to meet and take pictures with a celebrity. And such opportunity appeared! All thanks to the efforts of one woman -Anna Maria Grossholz (known worldwide as Madame Tussauds).

She was Born back in 1761 in Strasbourg. Her father, an Alsatian officer, died before she was born, and her stepfather, Philip Wilhelm Kerz, who was a doctor and made anatomical models of wax, was engaged in upbringing.

Madame Tussauds London Museum

Thanks to the efforts of Philip, Maria quickly mastered his skills and became interested in this occupation. At first she painted portraits of people, and then began to make wax figures together with her stepfather in their medical workshop.

In 1771 her stepfather decided to place wax sculptures of Louis XVI and Marie Antoinette in his workshop. Success was enormous, the French king decided to look at his counterpart. True, Mary, that time only sold the tickets. However, a little older, and she began to take an active part in the creation of unique sculptures very similar to their famous originals.

Louis XVI at marriage

She fashioned her first work at the age of 16. This was figure Voltaire (now his wax sculpture deposited in Museum in London). With Francois Maria met by accident, she was invited to a session of modeling the face of the great writer in the mansion on the street Bon, which for many years lived an outstanding classic pen.

Voltaire figure

And after a while Maria opened her gallery: she kept financial documents, personally was engaged in purchases of wax, fabrics and real hair. She thought about the placement, lighting, equipped exhibition halls, installed a lot of mirrors to increase the space and disguise the unnatural and pale color of wax exhibits.

But the gallery acquires a sad glory, and Madame Tussaud decides to create figures not only gone into the world of another, but also copies of the living characters. The first is Robespierre, who did not mind to have a double in the gallery of a talented craftswoman. Many famous people were immortalized by Madame Tussauds, and inquisitive visitors with interest came to her gallery to look at the new wax figures.

wax figures of famous people of the XVIII century

Later Maria came up with the idea of creating entire historical scenes that would reproduce the significant moments of that era. In April 1798, she ordered the figure of Napoleon and Josephine bogarne.

Napoleon Bonaparte and field marshals: Blucher, Wellington, Prince of orange

And in 1802 Maria moved to London. Interested in English history, the exhibition is supplemented by figures Richard the Lionheart, Henry VII, Mary Stuart, as well as the legendary Cromwell.

However, things weren't always good in her life. So, in 1804, after a trip to Ireland, the ship sank, carrying wax figures Madame Tussauds to Liverpool. It was a big loss for Mary, and she had to start all over from scratch.

She later decides to create a "horror Room", which will reproduce the most nightmarish crimes of the century. Edinburgh executioner John Williams even allowed Marie to come to death row and remove their masks before the execution. So, gradually and" settled " the famous room.

one of the scenes in"horror Room"

Madame Tussaud was quite an active lady and worked in her Studio for almost 85 years, in her galleries were presented more than 3 thousand wax figures. And the most recent work was her here's a caricature self-portrait.

Madame Tussauds

Considering many wax exhibits, you are amazed at the subtlety and detail of their study. In each work all features and nuances of appearance of the original are observed: hair color, length of eyelashes, freckles and many other things. These figures were made so high quality that sometimes it was impossible to distinguish where a living person, and where his double.

Pay attention to modern specimens, such as a fashion model and actress Aishwarya Rai. Could you guess where the actress is on the photo, and where is her wax copy?

Aishwarya Rai and her wax figure

I always wanted to visit the wax Museum, though I was not in London, but in one of its branches — in Vienna. This was something surprising and an unusual. Before eyes emerged: poets and scientists, kings and singers, politicians and actors.

I saw figures of Emperor Franz Joseph, Mozart, and graceful Maria Theresia. It seemed that everyone was looking at you, and someone ready to lend a hand. I liked the wax figure of the famous Empress Sissi.

Vienna wax Museum

Many leads here only simple curiosity, others come to be photographed with leaders of the countries, in London — with Queen Elizabeth II.

It takes about four months for an entire team of twenty artists to create such a credible image. Truly Titanic work, causing genuine admiration of millions of visitors!

wax figure of Elizabeth II

The hobby of Madame Tussauds which Began at the end of XVIII century to our days turned into the whole Empire of entertainments and a peculiar tourist attraction. Her descendants continue the work of her famous great-grandmother, opening new exhibitions and branches in different parts of the world.

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