American citizen., 1878-08-24
MALE. TUssAUD.

MAIE. TUSSAUD,
Most persons of the present day only
know that estimable lady, Nine. Tus
sand, as associated with the wax-worl
exhibition in Baker Street, Portmar
Square; they little dream of the par
which she took in the French crisis, mol
the position she held in French society
About the year 1850, John Chris
topher Curtius was practicing his pro
fession of medicine at Berne, Switzer
Land, when the Prince de Cont happen
ed to be sojourning in that city, and
having accidentally seen some portraits
and anatomical subjects modelled in
wax BY DIR. Curtius, the Prince was
struck with the exquisite delicacy and
beauty which these ingenious specimens
Of art displayed, and, after compliment
ing tho modeler upon the perfection OF
his work, invited him to take up his res
idence IN Paris, promising him, if he
did So the patronage Of all the. infiuen-
tial persons in that great city, and the
Prince, as q further incentive, prom
ised to provide suitable apartments for
the purpose of modelling and receiving
visitors. M. Curtius was, of course.
grateful for the recognition of himself
and his art by royal Prince who was
known and acknowledged as one of on
~ second in authority to the King, his
father. and in . very short time after
this interview we find him in possession
Of splendid apartments in the Hotel
d'Alegre, Rue st. Honore
In 1760, his sister, Nine. Grosholtz,
became widow, and two months after
ward gave birth to daughter, who was
named Marie The girl was six years
a ags when her uncle, M. Curtius, came
Q Switzerland for the purpose of taking
charge of his widowed sister and her
children, and conveying them to Paris
The widow had by a previous husband
seven sons; but the daughter so won
her uncle's affection that he adopted her
~ his own child, and little Marie look
ed upon him as q father. Atthis time,
children wore IN France introduced very
early into society, and at eight years of
age Marie Grosholtz-who afterwards
married French gentleman named
Iussaud, and thus became the we'll
known ,nms. Tussaud-was allowed to
sit e hsr uncle's table, and was ever in
the habit Of hearing the conversation of
adults and persons possessed of superb
or talent for n. Curtius's house had be-
co4eths resort of the elite. aad more
eePoniAlly the literati and artists.
Among the most frequent visitors, Nine.
Tnssaud distinctly remembered Vol
taire, Rousseau, DIR. Franklin, Mirabeau
sd Lafayette; and, although she was
very Young when voltaire and Rousseau
died, every circumstance connected
with them made powerful impression
ON har mind EARLY "reminiscences are
often the most permanent, and when the
sDsossr propre is fattered by a personal
esmpljmcut, it remains indelibly upon
tie mind even in childhood. Thus Nine.
Tnssnud recollected in her extreme age
that when she was scarcely nine years
old voltaire used to pat her ON the
cheek and call her pretty little dark
eyed girl.
Marie Grosholtz, or as we must term
her, Mime. Tussaud, loved her uncle's
art, and 20 closely initiated him that
when she was yet in her teens it was i'm
possible TO distinguish between the ex-
csllence of their works. At that period
modelling in wax twas much in vogue,
v,x,xr~~ck = xs<,,.. - ao-o-. 4 <..:t--l
other subjects being nodded from the
originals, and painted with rare fideli-
ty to life. To such a perfection had
MN. Tussaud arrived in giving char
scter and accuracy to her models, that
when quite girl she was intrusted to
take casts from the heads of celebrities
Of that period, who most patiently sub
mitted themselves to the hands of the
fair artist. She cast the head of Vol
taire only two months before his death.
Among members of the royal family
who visited M. Curtius' s apartments and
Aduirpd bis works and those Of his niece,
vas Nm Elizabeth. the Kings sister;
and Being sdssirous herself of learning
The art of modelling in wax, Mime. Tus-
ssud was appointed to teach the Prin-
sess between whom and the skillful
modeler sprang up an attachment SO
warm that the former applied to NJ
curtius to permit his niece to take up
prolonged residence at the palace of
Versailles. The Invitation could lot be
efused, and Mime. Tussaud was treated
more as an attached friend than as a de-
,endent. She attended all the brilliant
'ssemblies at the royal palace at yer-