| Wax Sculpture |
Wax sculpture is an art form that dates back to the ancient civilizations of Egypt and Greece. History documents that wax figures were sculpted for religious ceremonies. During the Roman Empire noble families displayed wax effigies of their ancestors. In Medieval Europe it become customary to preserve the likeness of great personages by making death masks. From the death mask molds three dimensional wax images were created to adorn tombs and crypts. As this was a costly endeavor, this practice was reserved for royal and religious hierarchies. With the development of a middle class during the Renaissance, the practice of preserving images in wax became more widespread. In 18th century Paris, Marie Grosholtz became an apprentice of wax sculptures in the studio of her uncle. During the French Revolution, she was assigned the arduous task of taking hundreds of death masks. Later she married, becoming Madame Tussaud (photo of actual wax figure left), and with her husband established a "Wax Salon" in Paris. By 1833, she alone had established a salon in London, England. |
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