Marie Tussaud, founder of the wax museum Madame Tussauds, died on this day in 1850. Born Marie Grosholts in Strausbourg, France in 1761, she was trained in waxwork by an expert in the modeling of anatomy (think the kinds of models used by doctors) in Paris. The French Revolution happened while she was building out the artistic aspects of her career by modeling busts of famous people. In one early riot, some of her busts were stolen and used in civic demonstrations; those protesters were shot at, presaging much more violence to come during the Revolution.
She turned her artistic talents to commemorating some of the major French political figures killed during the revolution, including those beheaded by the guillotine like the deposed King Louis XVI. Later, like so many, the Revolution turned on her. Tussaud was imprisoned for working on busts of political figures seen as undermining the new political order and was almost guillotined herself. She was released thanks to some political machinations.
She continued her work through the coming decades, including during the reign of Napoleon. She went to London in 1802 to present her work, and then Edinburgh, Scotland. Her fame continued to grow as she held touring exhibitions around Britain, and she eventually established a permanent exhibition in London. In 1842 she sculpted a self-portrait, still on display in the London museum. Since then, other locations have been opened in dozens of cities around the world.
There's an interesting writeup on Tussaud's experiences through the French Revolution at Atlas Obscura.
