Celebrating Marie Tussauds' 258th Birthday!
Marie
Tussaud was born in December 1761 in Strasbourg, France, making this month her 258th birthday!
To
mark the occasion, the original Madame Tussauds on London's Baker Street
will be holding a week of celebrations. This will include a Marie-style
takeover on Twitter and Instagram, as well as lots of birthday props, party
hats and balloons in the attraction to get guests in a celebratory mood.Up until her final years, it was not unusual for Marie herself to be spotted in
the entrance of the attraction counting the day’s takings, so we’ll be moving
her self-portrait figure to admissions in celebration of her birthday!
A Fascinating
History
- Following the death of
her Father, Marie and her family moved from France to Bern
in Switzerland when she was six years old. They moved into the
home of local doctor Philippe Curtius, where Marie’s Mother
acted as housekeeper.
- Dr Curtius was not only a
physician but was also skilled in wax modelling. He initially used
his talent as wax sculptor to illustrate anatomy and later for
portraits.
- In 1765 they moved to
Paris to establish a Cabinet de Portraits En
Cire (Wax portraiture firm).
- The first public
exhibition of Curtius' waxworks was shown in 1770 and attracted a
large crowd.
- Curtius taught Tussaud
the art of wax modelling. She showed talent for the technique and
began working for him as an artist.
- From 1780 until 1789
Tussaud created many of her most famous portraits of
celebrities. She was also called upon to cast the heads of
individuals executed by guillotine and whole body casts of prominent
figures at the time.
- When Curtius died in
1794, he left his collection of wax works to Tussaud.
- As a result of
the Napoleonic Wars, Tussaud was unable to return
to France, so she travelled with her collection throughout
the British Isles.
- In 1835, after 33 years touring
Britain, she established her first permanent exhibition
in Baker Street, on the upper floor of the "Baker Street
Bazaar".
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