The Romance of Madame Tussaud's

The author offers a biographical narrative of a celebrated wax modeller and her family, tracing roots in Switzerland, apprenticeship under an uncle who left medicine for modelling, perilous experiences during revolutionary upheaval, and eventual flight to and establishment in England. The text combines reminiscence with vivid descriptions of casts, curiosities, and notable visitors, chronicles the growth and relocation of the public exhibition, and recounts anecdotes from tours and collectors. It balances personal and institutional history, documenting how objects and sitters were obtained, the museum’s evolution across generations, and the tensions between authenticity, spectacle, and popular fascination.