apoleon - among many others - were packed and unpacked to be shown to an admiring public.
The travels ended in 1835, when Madame Tussaud's exhibition found a permanent home. It was in London, not far from today's exhibition. p> Another interesting development of the period was the establishment of what was to become the Chamber of Horrors. Madame Tussaud's collection of the victims and perpetrators of violent punishment and murders and miscreants was an unquestionable success.
Madame Tussaud was actively involved in the exhibition almost to the end of her life. This would be a remarkable feat even now, and was particularly unusual for a woman in the 19 th century. In April 1850, at the age of 89, she died. Her final work - a remarkable self - portrait modelling eight years before her death - can still be seen today.
There are some interesting facts about her museum. In 1925 an electrical fault sparked a fire, which, despite the efforts of Madame Tussaud's own firefighters and the London Fire Brigade, soon raged out of the control. Many of the figures were destroyed. But in 1928 the interior had been reconstructed, this time with the addition of a cinema and restaurant.
With the outbreak of the Second World War, in 1939, all of Britain was threatened by enemy action - not least London. During the night of the 8 th of September 1940, Madame Tussaud's was struck by a heavy bomb, which inflicted significant damage. Some 352 head moulds were damaged beyond repair and the cinema was completely destroyed - although, thankfully, no lives were lost. In December of that same year the exhibition again opened its doors to the public. p> And now I'd like to dwell upon some studio secrets of Madame Tussaud's Museum.
Studio Secrets
Modelling methods at Madame Tussaud's have not changed in 200 years. Once a person has been chosen, the firs step is to collect preliminary information - press photographs and articles if the subject is alive, portraits in other media and biographies if dead. Then it must be decided in which part of the exhibition the figure is to be placed, what the pose it should be and its relationship to other wax portraits.
The sculptor is normally given a sitting with the subject when detailed photographs are taken, hair and eyes are matched and clothes noted. The sculptor not only takes precire measurements, such as dimensions of ears and nostrils, but also has the opportunity to observe the character and personality of the subject, which will be conveyed as modelling progresses.
Sittings usually take place at Madame Tussaud's studious although, on occasion, the sculptor will visit the subject. Nelson Mandela gave a sitting at the Post House Hotel near Heathrow Airport, during a busy schedule which included a television interview. He later visited Madame Tussaud's with the late ANC leader Oliver Tambo to unveil the figure.
Sylvester Stallone's sitting was as the MGM Studious in Holywood, and he presented Madam Tussaud's with his own full set of evening clothes. p> Madame Tussaud's sculptors never take life casts. Hands, however, are regularly moulded from life and cast in wax.
It takes about six months to complete a figure, most of which is spent on the portrait head. Working from the reference material acquired at the sitting, the sculptor begins by modelling the head in clay. At this stage the hair is also sculpted, but this will later be replaced by real hair. Despite the extensive use of careful measurements, a great deal of artistry is required to achieve a realistic portrait. The body is built up in clay on to an armature. p> When the sculptor is happy with the clay model, a mould of approximately 12 separate pieces is taken from the head. After meticulous cleaning, the saturated, warm plaster head mould is filled with molten wax. When a sufficient thickness has solidified, the still molten centre is poured away. The head mould is made of a plaster of sufficient quality and fitness to reproduce exactly the surface of the clay, and can be used several times. The plaster pieces are removed from the head, and the wax cast is allowed to cool slowly, wrapped in cloth.
Entertaining and Amazing People
Figures are made 2% bigger than real life because wax shrinks. The wax used for the figures is similar to candle wax. In the more thrifty past, wax figures were melted down and re - used, but this is no longer the case as the color of the wax deteriorates when recycled. Each figure weights about 15 kg - with 4.5 kg of wax used for the head and 1.4 kg for the hands.
Over 150 precise measurements are taken to create an accurate portrait. Each hair is to be individually inserted, taking about five weeks.
All the figures regularly have their hair washed an...
