The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1899-07-17
SWELL WAX FIGURES.
About Seventeen Pounds Of Wax
seeded to Make One.
San Francisco Call.

San FRANCISCO Gall.
N~ine-tenths of the wax figures OF the
world are made in this country. A few years
ago and Italy held the fame and
won the reward, but home production has
forged to the front in this regard so strong
ly that, as statistics show the merchandise
record, we have exported far more than We
have imported.
While there are not more than fifty per-
sons in the United States who can construct
a perfect, lifelike figure in wal the work
itself gives employment to a host of people,
for in the actual work of putting q figure
together almost every step is a trade by
itself. This is where trade and profession
go hand in hand, for the artist loses none
of his art. though he calls the tradesman to
his aid.
The fact that the average span of life of
a wax figure is twelve years makes the sub
stitution feature an important one. 1t Is the
making of figures over and over again which
makes the profession, or industry, as you
choose to call 1t, as profitable as 1t Is. There
are the same expenses to be met In orig
mating a figure in wax as fall upon a paint
er when he puts his ideas on canvas
models and paints-and 1t comes about in
First, the sculptor-for only the sculptor
can successfully follow the craft of MAX
ing wax -fgures-secures his model. 1t is
necessary for him to work altogether from
life, and that means the nude. There
IS no difficulty whatever in securing beauti-
fully proportional figures. but it is the face
which causes the most trouble. If the
sculptor wishes to be particularly true to
life he does not care to idealiZe IL that can
be rs,d ayoided; Therefore, he tries many
are such as to be capable of reproduction
in wax and still preserve their beauty.
The model secured the holding OF the
tors early lessons in clay modelling are Of
the greatest use to him, for IL he has
neglected these in any way he might better
something else. The clay having been sat
isfactorily nodded a plaster cast of the
model is made: When the plaster is hard
anod Cl1f1aianflU mQlfQd wQx iG nnrrad into
it through an opening in the head, right
where all humanity is born with a soft
spot. This opening Is closed and wax and
cast are allowed to stand twenty minutes.
By this time the contents of the cast have
partly cooled. part of the top OF the head
has not adhered TO the cast is poured out
into the big receptacle used for that pur-
pose.
the plaster is generally about an inch in
thickness. The plaster Is broken from Ii
in order that it may be hardened. after
which it is s~andpapered. While the general
ing this casting process, the eyes and the
mouth must be formed. This is the sculp-
for the eyes and inserts the glass orbs, for
the eyes of every figure are of glass.
1t is by no means the case that a figure
is always constructed ia one piece. More
often, to expedite matters, the limbs. trunk
and head are cast separately. and when this
is the case one individual attends to each
part. III liz VI lit AS-
ure are complete they are wired together,
all but the head and bust. These are in the
hands of a young woman, who is engaged
In putting on the hair. Most persons nave
an idea that wax figures wear wigs, but
they do nothing of the sort. Each separate
hair is fastened in as tightly as nature has
hair manufactured. 1t is all human and
comes almost entirely from Germany.
The task of placing this hair In the fig
ure's head is a rather tedious one. A needle,
lust a. trlfe larger than q hair. Is used &c
puncture the wax, and in this puncture the
young woman places the end OF the hair.
This process is continued until a regulation
head of hair is affixed. The most delicate
task of this sort is afixing the eyelashes
and eyebrows. These are so conspicuous
that the slightest error has an i'll effect.
Again, there is always the danger that the
eyelids will break If the pressure upon them
bust This work is done, in every case,
with the view of the closest inspection be.
chances are that any flaw which exists will
be visible only to the eyes of an expert.
The task of affixing hair, eyelashes and
inspection, and if this is satisfactory it is
shipped TO the purchaser. The best Of these
figures are so lifelike that. if the light be
otherwise than bright, only close inspec.
ton will reveal the fact that the figure is
of wax. OF course these works of art-for
they are nothing else-are high priced and
idlSt lIOIH SSO 10 3JU.
A fairly good figure can be secured for a
sum considerably lower, but the very best
work always comes high. The six-dollar SORT
are TO the figures described above as the
fearful daubs sometimes termed paintings
are TO the work OF the brushes of the acad-
emicians. They are cheap, and yet dear al
any price.
The wax used in the manufacture of these
figures is the pure white refined bees
wax. 1t comes from Texas, Califor-
MIA and South America, and the average
price is 20 cents a pound. To make the
head and bust of a figure from eight "a
ten pounds of wax are needed, while a
half figure takes from fifteen to seventeen
pounds. The hands and forearms of a figure
are generally solid wax, but all the rest is
a mere shell.
In the studios where these figures are
constructed every nationality is represent.
ed that is ordinarily found in the ranks
or the workers. AS no particularly artistic
taste Is required TO perform the mechan-
zeal tasks OF figure work, there is little
ers, those who put on the hair, eyebrows
and eyelashes, receive from SO TO S24 a
week, as do those who finish and pain,
: the figures. The other salaries range from
about $40 TO SIS per week. The wax re-
ceives a certain portion OF color when II
Is melted by being mixed with artists
paint, therefore the painting of a figure
consists In the coloring Of the features.
All the larger museums of the country
make their own wax figures. Each estab.
shmen is presided over by a sculptor OF
high ability. Time was when an artist
engaged in a task Of this sort was looked
down upon by his professional brethren, but
that day is past.