The Durham recorder. [volume] (Durham, N.C.) 1879-19??, 1909-10-28
FAMOUS WAX ARTIST
Nine. Tussaud Had an Exciting
and Dramatic Career.
IN THE FRENCH REVOLUTION.

During th1t Era OF btooosueo oUs
Modelled Some Of the Heads That Fell
by the Guillotins and Was For .
Time In Prison Herself rs . Suspect.
This is the story of Nine. Tussaud.
who was born In Berne In 1760 and
died in London In 1850 and who. dur
ing the stormy time Of the French rev.
olution. modelled In wax some of the
heads that fell by the guillotine.
Marie Gresholtx was the daughter OF
an aidde-camp Of General Wurmser
In the Seven Years war. She was
born after the death OF her father.
Her mother was the sister Of DR..
John christopher Curiius Of Berne.
This llr Curtius hid made many
anatomical and other models In wax
and had attracted the attention of the
Prince de Cont. This nobleman urged
Curtius To come 10 Paris and establish
himself as \ modeler in wax.
The t,urrius studio became the rem
devious of the fashionable world. and
I'm connection with this he had muse.
um oi ruriositics. Among his patrons
were voliaire. Jean Jacques. Rous
seau. Mrsmrr. Mirahau. Diderot. Ben
jamin Franklin. Paul Jones and many
other notable persons.
In his visits To his sister at Berne
DR.. Curtius had taught his niece. Marie.
many of the secrets of modelling In
wax. She showed such ability In this
that lIer uncle urged her mother Ia
make home With him in Paris and to
allow him To adopt Marie as his daugh-
ter.
s Marie hogan earnest study with DR.
Curfius. and she was SO skillful in
the nodeiin. Of wax flowers that this
art bs4.Iluie craze. Even the royal
i,ersonags-s In the palace took II M.
and Marie spent some time giving les
sons 10 Nine. Elizabeth. the young Sis
ter Of Louis XVI.
When tie revolution broke out DR..
Curtius took the side of.the people and
sent for Marie to come from the pal
ace. II was rather singular that two
of his wax models should have played
a foremost part In the opening scenes
Of that awful period. In his collec-
ton of models was a bust of the min
lister. Necker. father of Nine. de Stael.
and one of Philippe. duke OF Or
leans. Two days before the storming
Of the Rastiile mob took these two
busts froIa his museum IN the Palais
Royal. draiarl them in black Grape to
show their sympathy and started 10
parade the streets with these.
As the procession fled across the
Place vendunie a troop of dragons
and one OF tile regiments charged. 4
sword stroke cut the bust Of Necker
IN halves. aBl the man who was carry
ing IL was hit by musket ball in the
leg and received the thrust Of sword
IN his breast.
The bust OF the Duke Of Orleans
escaped injury. bur I'll the fight TO de
fend Il several persons were killed.
The soldiers made desperate efforts TO
demoilsh it
At the taking 81 the Rasfiiie DR. Cur
thus was active and for his services TO
Frame. vas rewauled by the national
assembly ! liidge Of honor was pre-
scented ~ liii. ard this was inscribed
with the lsatlis cate ard memorial
Of hiS it = AMI patriotism. Ills
house 49, iinniir rlare of meeting
with tir ,frs n The revolution. 50
Marie ia, opportunity to see them
all.
Thtrs ~. lime when Marie
was IL !. mi.r during this des-
perafr Size was suspected"
and s.i. .fisan iIere ~ the same
time 80. Il u i:tanharrais. who
had &, frt iiah - Ai.llntin- and
who Va. t,s i sa..,inr ~ NHIo.
leon g. iF.ssr Il,t urrir was able
TO ~; s.1Fs r..ipass. from prisn. and
she ,af'.. .ai " time T., So. Tie sIown-
fall - i'uia.-piprre. l,anfpn and lDts-
lnsniiis
III ill.,. dlts ~ iii,.ir Ipnrr slip had
been rail..l :" Hstl.i the li,4.is ~
uIan, VII. 49, by the snlIInfiBc Sic
EaS .;,'i:.ii j. tagp tlIeII just after TIE
fall ~ llm ia'ai kDIfr. Size III tbi,
awful w,Il with the lWids - issDi
Marie asiuirptt. aud ~ "a. i'Ii.icrs,
Iamlsal.. - ,iuan'S frirrd whes
40. lra,lpT. suffered by the guillutin.
III their turn silp mUdeisrl tllrir heads
After The revolution her uni. died
and III i;:ti size married 81 TnSatu,i
She ,saiiJ Dd overcome the s!I,r'k =
her cAtrfisn"es during the revolution
and shr persuaded her husband ..
take her ahd iils yuiuaiII. cyiirsttnn
of WAX fnsiel. left her by Dr Curtin
ovef a. England.
They established this rullpction Il
the SifInfI The cuIIrtion was iakel
al aisau tie ruuniry. aud 10 iSs3 !
was brought Irek 10 London ard mad
prrumncai exhibition. Tier sons con
dnsissI TIE lrI~iBeSs. and she took ~
active share 10 this iill silr WAS eight,
years ~ nge. Boston GIoip.
Naming Their Children.