Clarke courier. [volume] (Berryville, Va.) 1869-1997, 1909-09-01
FAMOUS WAX ARTIST
Nine. Tussaud Had an Exciting
and Dramatic Career.
IN THE FRENCH REVOLUTION.

During That Era of Bloodshed She
Modelled Some OF the Heads That Eel,
BY the GuilIotine and Was For =
Time In Prison Herself as a Suspect.
This Is the story OF Nine. Tussaua
who was born In Bernc ia 17GO and
died In London In 1850. and who. dur
Ing the stormy time OF the French rev.
oiutlon. modelled In wax some OF the
heads that fell by the guIlotine.
Marie Gresholtz was thclaughter OF
an aid-de-camp OF General wurmser
IN the Seven Years war. She was
born after the death OF her father.
Her mother was the sister of DIR.
John Christopher Curtius OF Berne
This DR. Curtius had made MANY
anatomical and other models I'm wax
and bad attracted the attention of the
Prince de Cont This nobleman urged
Curtius TO come 10 Paris and establish
himself as modeler I'm wax.
The Curtius studio became the rem
devious of the fashionable world. and
in connection with this he had a muse
um or curiosities. Among his patrons
were Voltaire, Jean Jacques. Rous-
seau. Mesmer. Mirabeau. Diderot. Ben
Jamin Franklin, Paul Jones and many
other notable persons.
In his visits 10 his sister at Berne
DR.. Curtius had taught his niece. Marie.
many OF the secrets Of modelling in
wax. She showed such ability I'm this
that her uncle urged her mother to
make home with him I'm Paris and TO
allow him 70 adopt Marie as his daugh-
ter.
Marie began earnest study with DR..
Curtius. and she was so skillful In
the modelling OF wax flowers that this
art became a craze. Even the royal
perSonaGes in the palace took II up.
and Marie spent some time giving les
sons TO Nine. Elizabeth. the young sis
ter OF Louis XVI.
When the revolution broke out DR..
Curtius took the side OF the people and
sent for Marie 20 come from the pal
ace. IL was rather singular that two
OF his wax models should have PLAYED
a foremost part i'm the opening scenes
Of that awful period. In his collcc-
ton OF models was n bust OF the min
lister. Nccker. father Of Mime. de Stael.
and one Of Philippe. duke OF Or
leans. Two days before the storming
OF the Bastille mob took these two
busts from his museum in the Palais
Royal. draped them I'm black Grape 70
show their sympathy and started To
parade the streets with these.
As the procession filed across the
Place Nendome "A troop OF dragons
and one OF the regiments charged. \
sword stroke cut the bust of Neckcr
In halves. and the man who was carry
Ing 1t was hit 10y musket ball In the
lee and received the thrust Of n sword
I'm his breast
The bust OF the Duke OF Orleans
escaped injury. but in the fight 10 de
fcnd il several persons were killed.
The soldiers made desperate efforts 10
demolish It.
~ The taking OF the Bastllle Or. Cur
thus WAS active and for his services TO
France was rewarded by the national
assembly. \ badge OF honor was pre-.
scented To him. and this was inscribed
with the famous date and memorial
OF his bravery and patriotism. His
house was a favorite place OF meeting
with the leaders OF the revolution. so
Marie had an opportunity TO see them
all
There was only one time when Marie
was In any danger during this des-
perate period. She was suspected"
and sent 60 prison. Here ut the same
time WAS Nine. de Beauharnais. who
had barely escaped the guillotine and
who was later .he Josephine OF Napo.
leon Bonapartc. Her uncle was able
10 set Marie's release from prison. and
she came out in time To see the down
fall OF Robcspierre. Danton and Des-
moulins
In the days OF their power she had
been called TO model the heads OF
many who fell by the guillotine She
was Obliged TO take them just after the
fall OF the fatal knife She did this
awful work with the heads OF poor
Marie Antoiuctte and OF the Princess
Lamballe. the queens friend. When
the leaders suffered by the guillotine
In their turn she modelled their heads.
After the revolution her uncle died.
and IN 1875 she married NJ. Tussaud.
She could not overcome the shock OF
her experiences during the revolution.
and she persuaded her husband to
take her and the valuable collections
OF wax models left her by Or. CurtiuS
over 10 England.
They established this collection in
the Strand. The collection was taken
all about the country, and i'm 1898 il
was brought back TO London and made
Il permanent exhibition. Her sons con
Quoted the business. and she took an
active share i'm this till she was eighty
years Of age.-Boston Globe.