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Madame Tussaud: A Life in Wax
Millions have visited the museums that bear her name, yet few know much about Madame Tussaud. A celebrated artist, she had both a ringside seat at and a cameo role in the French Revolution. This intelligent, pragmatic businesswoman has also had an extraordinary impact on contemporary culture, planting the seed of our obsession with celebrity.
In Madame Tussaud Kate Berridge tells this fascinating woman's complete story for the first time, drawing upon a wealth of sources including Tussaud's memoirs and historical archives. It is a grand-scale success story—how with sheer graft and grit a woman born in 1761 to an eighteen-year-old cook overcame extraordinary reversals of fortune to build the first and most enduring worldwide brand identified simply by reference to its founder's name: Madame Tussaud's.
Central to her success was her status as a victim and survivor of one of the most tumultuous times in history; her grizzly relics both captivated her audience and reinforced her own version of her life story. Her memoirs placed claims of friendships with royals and revolutionaries—including Marie Antoinette and Marat—alongside personal horrors, most famously how she was forced to make death masks from the guillotine-fresh heads of former friends. But as a born entrepreneur did she extend her flair for publicity to molding her own story?
In Madame Tussaud Kate Berridge tells this fascinating woman's complete story for the first time, drawing upon a wealth of sources including Tussaud's memoirs and historical archives. It is a grand-scale success story—how with sheer graft and grit a woman born in 1761 to an eighteen-year-old cook overcame extraordinary reversals of fortune to build the first and most enduring worldwide brand identified simply by reference to its founder's name: Madame Tussaud's.
Central to her success was her status as a victim and survivor of one of the most tumultuous times in history; her grizzly relics both captivated her audience and reinforced her own version of her life story. Her memoirs placed claims of friendships with royals and revolutionaries—including Marie Antoinette and Marat—alongside personal horrors, most famously how she was forced to make death masks from the guillotine-fresh heads of former friends. But as a born entrepreneur did she extend her flair for publicity to molding her own story?
368 pages, Hardcover
First published June 29, 2006
62 people are currently reading
544 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 29 of 29 reviews
November 5, 2016
Fascinating--but, alas, more fascinating as a study of the history and cultures through which the subject passed than for an honest look at the woman herself: she was a liar and showperson, a businessperson and a visual artist, someone two languages removed from her native tongue. Not a lot of truth in her own words has survived.
That being said, it's a fascinating, detailed look that stretches from before the French Revolution to early Victorian Times--it always comes as a fun surprise to read about someone who makes a transition from one set of history books to another :) Like the best sort of time travel.
That being said, it's a fascinating, detailed look that stretches from before the French Revolution to early Victorian Times--it always comes as a fun surprise to read about someone who makes a transition from one set of history books to another :) Like the best sort of time travel.
March 21, 2011
Berridge seems strangely to dislike her subject--she is certainly very condescending about her. For example, she constantly plays up Tussaud's falsification of her relationships with the famous as an example of ego. But, it could just as easily be said that it was the effort of a woman trying to succeed on her own to make promote herself as a businesswoman and make herself more respectable.
It is also odd how little the waxworks turn up. She doesn't at all discuss the kind of work (or artistry) that went into creating the figures. But I guess that is part of the condescension since her focus in the book on Tussaud as a name dropper or a social climber rather than a craftsperson.
It is also odd how little the waxworks turn up. She doesn't at all discuss the kind of work (or artistry) that went into creating the figures. But I guess that is part of the condescension since her focus in the book on Tussaud as a name dropper or a social climber rather than a craftsperson.
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April 6, 2011Love, love, love. This book is converting me to a history fan! Fascinating look at pre-revolutionary France...
May 13, 2013
he record of Madame Tussaud's early years in France, other than the dubious one of her own hand, is scant to non-existant. In this absence, the author documents what is known with an analysis of popular "entertainments" of the time and the role of the Curtius waxworks in it. The theme of popular culture carries through to Madame Tussaud's time in England, although at this time there would have been more biographical record to draw upon. In short, while in part a biography, this book is more the story of Madame Tussaud's role in the development of popular culture.
This book was enlightening for me. In the US we think of PT Barnum as THE pioneer in marketing popular entertainment. Berridge demonstrates, without making the direct analogy, that this marketing phenomenon was happening on both sides of the Atlantic. Both Barnum and Tussaud latched on to an idea whose time had come.
Berridge contrasts how Madame Tussaud's "edu-tainment" provided accessibility in contrast to public institutions of the time such as the British Museum. Interesting here are the stories of Barnum (who would like to buy her out but does not succeed) and Dickens (who has discovered his own niche in popular culture). Unlike these two men, Madame Tussaud bears extra burdens. Despite being, essentially, a single mother, she prevails against the sexism of the time, an exploitative partner and a ne'er do well husband.
Madame Tussaud learned her craft and entrepreneurship from her mother's employer, Curtius, who may have been her father. In the 8 years that she would have us believe she was living at Versailles as a tutor to a French princess, what was she actually doing? Is there a reason, besides her marketing needs, that she wants to refashion these years? What were her actual experiences during the French Revolution and did they inform her decision to leave her mother and young son (we can easily guess why she would want to leave Mr. Tussaud) to embark on a speculative venture in England?
The author does not describe how Madame Tussaud developed her wax images--- how long they took--- how she got their clothing --- how she moved them in her touring days --- how she traveled with the infant, later child and adolescent she toured with. How many horse driven carts did she need? How did she procure space? Set things up? How did she cope with the many men who had never worked for a woman before?
The author stays with the theme of Madame Tussaud as a pioneer in popular culture. She analyses how she met the needs of the crowd in visual display, content, and visitor experience. We learn how she analyzed the competition, selected her venues, marketed to different groups, sold souvenir programs (upsell) and adjusted hours, prices and content to attract an audience. As a book on the Madame's role in popular culture this really succeeds. In some places, the prose is so intriguing that it cannot be put down.
This book was enlightening for me. In the US we think of PT Barnum as THE pioneer in marketing popular entertainment. Berridge demonstrates, without making the direct analogy, that this marketing phenomenon was happening on both sides of the Atlantic. Both Barnum and Tussaud latched on to an idea whose time had come.
Berridge contrasts how Madame Tussaud's "edu-tainment" provided accessibility in contrast to public institutions of the time such as the British Museum. Interesting here are the stories of Barnum (who would like to buy her out but does not succeed) and Dickens (who has discovered his own niche in popular culture). Unlike these two men, Madame Tussaud bears extra burdens. Despite being, essentially, a single mother, she prevails against the sexism of the time, an exploitative partner and a ne'er do well husband.
Madame Tussaud learned her craft and entrepreneurship from her mother's employer, Curtius, who may have been her father. In the 8 years that she would have us believe she was living at Versailles as a tutor to a French princess, what was she actually doing? Is there a reason, besides her marketing needs, that she wants to refashion these years? What were her actual experiences during the French Revolution and did they inform her decision to leave her mother and young son (we can easily guess why she would want to leave Mr. Tussaud) to embark on a speculative venture in England?
The author does not describe how Madame Tussaud developed her wax images--- how long they took--- how she got their clothing --- how she moved them in her touring days --- how she traveled with the infant, later child and adolescent she toured with. How many horse driven carts did she need? How did she procure space? Set things up? How did she cope with the many men who had never worked for a woman before?
The author stays with the theme of Madame Tussaud as a pioneer in popular culture. She analyses how she met the needs of the crowd in visual display, content, and visitor experience. We learn how she analyzed the competition, selected her venues, marketed to different groups, sold souvenir programs (upsell) and adjusted hours, prices and content to attract an audience. As a book on the Madame's role in popular culture this really succeeds. In some places, the prose is so intriguing that it cannot be put down.
April 10, 2011
This book is well written. It is a little dry at times. However, I enjoy that the author gives accounts of what is happening politically, socially & personally around the madame. The best part is that she gives incite to other people that affected her life as well. Backgrounds of individuals that would influence her later in life or political unrest & turmoil that would affect how her "art" would progress. Another great point is that the author tackles some of the myths that surrounded the Tussaud waxworks. The person accounts that the madame recorded as fact but there are no records of her in very well documented accounts, i.e. being a private tutor to the King's sister. There are records down to the wage of the chambermaid but no reference to a tutor or Marie's name being paid ever. So was the madame the ultimate showman and weaved stories to perpetuate her social status for the public desire of intrigue?
This book gives a great account to a middle class viewpoint of a drastically & quickly changing era in European history. From France's ancient regime life style of French royalty, the fickal & violent loyalty of a mob class, the ideas of a Republic, and finally to the rise of a military man that ultimately leads his country by dictatorship. The interesting part is that since the madame relocated during her life from Paris to London and beyond , and since her profession kept her in contact with lots of interesting characters, you are not only given what on she would have witnessed but are given insight into how the rest of the world was perceiving the events.
This book gives a great account to a middle class viewpoint of a drastically & quickly changing era in European history. From France's ancient regime life style of French royalty, the fickal & violent loyalty of a mob class, the ideas of a Republic, and finally to the rise of a military man that ultimately leads his country by dictatorship. The interesting part is that since the madame relocated during her life from Paris to London and beyond , and since her profession kept her in contact with lots of interesting characters, you are not only given what on she would have witnessed but are given insight into how the rest of the world was perceiving the events.
April 2, 2021
Madame Tussaud was taught by her “uncle”(? Not sure if he was really her uncle, or just the man her mother worked for) to form wax models. She also turned out to be a pretty good marketer and businesswoman. She lived through the French Revolution, then took her wax figures with her to England. From there, she travelled through Scotland and Ireland. Meanwhile, her husband and one son (the other son was with her) stayed in France (until the younger son was in his early 20s, at which time he joined his mother and brother). A man she had gone into business with when she went to England and her husband took advantage of her brilliant head for business (and the money that came from it).
Most of what people know of the early part of Marie Grosholtz’s (Madame Tussaud’s) life came from her own autobiography. This author tries to verify (but has a hard time doing so) much of what Marie wrote about her own life. It seems that there may have been a lot of exaggeration, particularly during the French Revolution, when she created wax figures out of decapitated heads during the “Terror”. It was easier to verify her life (as she became more well-known) once she moved to England.
The book was ok, but a few too many parts of it were kind of dry reading. All I knew about her was from Michelle Moran’s book, but her book pretty much ended when Marie moved to England. I hadn’t realized she had done as much travelling as she had – to promote her show and her wax models. She really does seem to have had a good head for business, but much of her money was taken by a bad deal with the man she went into business with in England (until she untangled herself from him) and her dud of a husband in France.
Most of what people know of the early part of Marie Grosholtz’s (Madame Tussaud’s) life came from her own autobiography. This author tries to verify (but has a hard time doing so) much of what Marie wrote about her own life. It seems that there may have been a lot of exaggeration, particularly during the French Revolution, when she created wax figures out of decapitated heads during the “Terror”. It was easier to verify her life (as she became more well-known) once she moved to England.
The book was ok, but a few too many parts of it were kind of dry reading. All I knew about her was from Michelle Moran’s book, but her book pretty much ended when Marie moved to England. I hadn’t realized she had done as much travelling as she had – to promote her show and her wax models. She really does seem to have had a good head for business, but much of her money was taken by a bad deal with the man she went into business with in England (until she untangled herself from him) and her dud of a husband in France.
June 19, 2017
So this book was interesting and I learned a lot about the world around Madame Tussaud. However, whether it was because I am a Tussaud newbie or the book was not geared this way, I found the book to be less than enlightening about Tussaud herself. I wanted more about her and the figures and less about the I shifting to infotainment happening in the late Georgian and early Victorian era. While it was an interesting study, I feel it was falsely billed so I docked it two stars. However if you are looking for a book about entertainment in Revolutionary France through Victorian England this book is worth reading. Just know you won't be getting any real depth on Tussaud, she is more a means by which to explore larger historical themes.
September 9, 2011
I bought this book after hearing an interview with the author on the Diane Rheam Show. Before reading this, all I knew about Madame Tussaud was that she started a wax museum. Although Kate Berridge isn't as fun to read as Claire Berlinski, I found this book informative and interesting. The contextual history throughout the book helps the reader to understand the world in which Marie lived. Her society was eerily similar to ours today, which I think Berridge intentionally emphasized. This book is definitely worth a read.
February 18, 2017
This was a slog to get through - some good history and a different perspective on the development of commercial culture. It's just very dry, and it took my more than six months to finish.
March 15, 2020
For most people, Madame Tussaud's is simply a spectacle of wax figures in historic tableaux across the world although the original in located in London, England. I can personally recall a documentary years ago about the steps in constructing a new figure for the museum of, I believe, it was Michelle Kwan and was intrigued by the tremendous amount of work and time that went into the construction.
Well, this book is about the woman who started this museum. A woman that managed to negotiate survival of self and business in the social upheaval and vagarities of the Ancient Regime of France, the Revolution, Terror and Directorate that followed, late Georgian and Regency England with its own riots and violence. A woman trained by Philippe Guillaume Mathe Custius, a renowned artist in wax miniatures and figures. Supposedly a tutor to the Princess Elizabeth, sister to the king, a young Marie Grosholtz allegedly lived at Versailles for a time just before the country disintegrated into violence.
In 1802, Madame Tussaud took a selection of wax figures as well as her two-year-old son and went on tour of England, Scotland and Ireland and she remained on tour - travelling from town to city to town - until 1835 when she opened her museum a year later at 57 Baker Street, London. There she continued to run her business, entertaining all visitors until her death at age 88, when her two sons took over the business that endures to this day.
What is even more interesting than the life of this talented, strong and determined woman is the view that the author gives the readers on the society, culture, fashion and political situations around her in France and in turn, in England. Insights in some of the notorious names of the French Revolution - Voltaire, Rousseau, Robespierre, Marat - and her connection to Napoleon due to her being a prisoner with Josephine de Beauharnais (Napoleon's future wife). Her work at anticipating her audience through new exhibits as well as advertising and location in order to keep customers amidst the hundreds of other shows on the various tour circuits.
The author makes note of the fact that Marie's response to society's interest in the famous and infamous before the age of photography was not only insightful but she could be considered a progenitor of the "cult of celebrity", providing images and exhibits that continues to today.
Definitely an interesting book to read during women's history month.
2020-051
Well, this book is about the woman who started this museum. A woman that managed to negotiate survival of self and business in the social upheaval and vagarities of the Ancient Regime of France, the Revolution, Terror and Directorate that followed, late Georgian and Regency England with its own riots and violence. A woman trained by Philippe Guillaume Mathe Custius, a renowned artist in wax miniatures and figures. Supposedly a tutor to the Princess Elizabeth, sister to the king, a young Marie Grosholtz allegedly lived at Versailles for a time just before the country disintegrated into violence.
In 1802, Madame Tussaud took a selection of wax figures as well as her two-year-old son and went on tour of England, Scotland and Ireland and she remained on tour - travelling from town to city to town - until 1835 when she opened her museum a year later at 57 Baker Street, London. There she continued to run her business, entertaining all visitors until her death at age 88, when her two sons took over the business that endures to this day.
What is even more interesting than the life of this talented, strong and determined woman is the view that the author gives the readers on the society, culture, fashion and political situations around her in France and in turn, in England. Insights in some of the notorious names of the French Revolution - Voltaire, Rousseau, Robespierre, Marat - and her connection to Napoleon due to her being a prisoner with Josephine de Beauharnais (Napoleon's future wife). Her work at anticipating her audience through new exhibits as well as advertising and location in order to keep customers amidst the hundreds of other shows on the various tour circuits.
The author makes note of the fact that Marie's response to society's interest in the famous and infamous before the age of photography was not only insightful but she could be considered a progenitor of the "cult of celebrity", providing images and exhibits that continues to today.
Definitely an interesting book to read during women's history month.
2020-051
November 23, 2021
My first 1-star review 😔 Berridge did occasionally find her stride in the last 100-or-so pages, but that can’t make up for the first 200. This book fell short of my expectations of any book, let alone a biography. The first three-quarters of the book are essentially recounting the French Revolution, while every now and then mentioning that oh, yeah, Madame Tussaud was there, too. Typically, I’d be fine with this—but even the horrors of the French Revolution come across as dry.
From the cheesy (“Saint-Sulpice was a church … where the VIPs went to RIP”) to the excruciatingly prolix (“This epistolary alpine romance charting the turbulent and tragic events between a lowly tutor and noble heroine is thwarted by aristocratic prejudice tapped a collective romantic nerve”), the book reads as if written by a delinquent pupil who will get the extra credit they need to graduate by including as many vocabulary words and figurative language as possible—and it’s utterly exhausting.
Sloppy editing (e.g., “Tussaud;s”) toward the end of the book suggest even the editor had checked out by that point.
There’s no doubt about the author’s intelligence or writing ability in general—but a biography, particularly one where there is notoriously little information existing about the subject—seemed a huge swing and a miss for me.
From the cheesy (“Saint-Sulpice was a church … where the VIPs went to RIP”) to the excruciatingly prolix (“This epistolary alpine romance charting the turbulent and tragic events between a lowly tutor and noble heroine is thwarted by aristocratic prejudice tapped a collective romantic nerve”), the book reads as if written by a delinquent pupil who will get the extra credit they need to graduate by including as many vocabulary words and figurative language as possible—and it’s utterly exhausting.
Sloppy editing (e.g., “Tussaud;s”) toward the end of the book suggest even the editor had checked out by that point.
There’s no doubt about the author’s intelligence or writing ability in general—but a biography, particularly one where there is notoriously little information existing about the subject—seemed a huge swing and a miss for me.
May 9, 2019
My biggest complaint stems from the fact that, from the onset, author, Kate Berridge admits that little is known about the personal life of the famous wax artist. Berridge surmises some while, when she is relying on autobiographical details, admits that Tussaud was likely not dealing in facts or truth, but was more likely trying to portray herself as someone other than who she may have been (but, again, because there is scant evidence of Tussaud's life before and during the French Revolution, there's a lot of guess work here).
This book is filled with details about the era but disappointingly little surrounding the famous Tussaud herself. If you're interested in the woman, I'd suggest Michelle Moran's historical fiction novel, MADAME TUSSAUD: A NOVEL OF THE FRENCH REVOLUTION. In truth, there is probably just as much fact in Moran's fictional take on Tussaud as Berridge's biographical one.
This book is filled with details about the era but disappointingly little surrounding the famous Tussaud herself. If you're interested in the woman, I'd suggest Michelle Moran's historical fiction novel, MADAME TUSSAUD: A NOVEL OF THE FRENCH REVOLUTION. In truth, there is probably just as much fact in Moran's fictional take on Tussaud as Berridge's biographical one.
December 27, 2016
This was an interesting read, if a bit vague. Mme Tussaud was a master of publicity, and seems to have invented much of her life's story. The author does an admirable job of trying to sift out fact from fiction, but there were a lot of missing pieces from the Tussaud story which we will never know. Still, interesting to discover a bit more about a woman who has been a household name for centuries, now.
September 30, 2017
Fascinating. You learn very little about Madame Tussaud herself though.
November 27, 2018
Terribly dry. Characters came and went and were so boring that I couldn't even keep track of them. I tried for half the book and then gave up being bored.
May 10, 2020
I don’t know if it was the language or how it was written, but it was too long and kind of boring. Disappointing given that this woman had such an interesting life and legacy.
September 11, 2022
So wordy and scattered and speculative. DNF
February 4, 2024
Too much timeline information not enough story to keep you interested
August 31, 2024
If you think you know history, this book gives you a whole new perspective on Revolutionary France, Georgian England and the start of the Victorian era. A very enjoyable read.
June 19, 2017
Kate Berridge’s biography of Madame Marie Tussaud is hampered by the lack of verifiable historical information about Tussaud’s life. (Although Tussaud published her own memoirs, she likely falsified or exaggerated many scenes in them.) Berridge therefore pads the book out with descriptions of the circles in which Tussaud moved: Ancien Régime and Revolutionary-era France, and the early-19th-century British entertainment industry. The resulting book feels more like cultural history than narrative biography: Tussaud’s long life (1761-1850) is used as a lens to view her world. You won’t get a sense of the actual woman or her personality from this book, aside from the fact that she was obviously a shrewd businesswoman and a survivor.
A friend of mine gave me this book for my birthday, writing the following message in it: “Please forgive the state of the cover of this book. The sticker would not leave off its duties easily. I wish I had such dedication. I saw this book and it made me think of all women artists and how we all must choose our own medium. And when we do, never leave off. And each in our own way, may we live forever to torment our tormentors.”
I just wish the book had lived up to my friend’s inscription.
A friend of mine gave me this book for my birthday, writing the following message in it: “Please forgive the state of the cover of this book. The sticker would not leave off its duties easily. I wish I had such dedication. I saw this book and it made me think of all women artists and how we all must choose our own medium. And when we do, never leave off. And each in our own way, may we live forever to torment our tormentors.”
I just wish the book had lived up to my friend’s inscription.
August 23, 2011
I enjoyed this book as a follow-up to Madame Tussaud: A Novel of the French Revolution, the recent fictionalized account. The nonfiction book did a nice job of reviewing what sources are available for information about Madame Tussaud and places where Ms. Tussaud's own memoirs probably exaggerated her place in the royal court and other such personal history.
The book could be a little dry at points, but it gave solid information about both Tussaud's life and the different time periods surrounding her life. I especially enjoyed the secondary perspective on fashion of the times and particularly the hairstyles of the french just before the revolution.
The book could be a little dry at points, but it gave solid information about both Tussaud's life and the different time periods surrounding her life. I especially enjoyed the secondary perspective on fashion of the times and particularly the hairstyles of the french just before the revolution.
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July 29, 2011Man erfährt viel über die Zeit der französichen Revolution, die verschiedenen Modeströmungen, den Untergang der Monarchie und frühe Werbestrategien. Von diesem Standpunkt aus ist das Buch sehr interessant.
Über Madame Tussaud selber erfäht man aber eher wenig, da sie wenig Privates der Öffentlichkeit preisgegeben hat und somit nicht viel von ihr persönlich (Gedanken, Gefühle, Reaktion auf Schicksalschläge) überliefert ist.
Über Madame Tussaud selber erfäht man aber eher wenig, da sie wenig Privates der Öffentlichkeit preisgegeben hat und somit nicht viel von ihr persönlich (Gedanken, Gefühle, Reaktion auf Schicksalschläge) überliefert ist.
September 16, 2013
The subject matter was interesting. I loved the background of Madame Tussaud's life and Paris at the time she was there. Lots of great research about what actually happened versus the life she constructed for her business. The second half of the book got a little dry when it came to setting up her career in England. The idea that she was ahead of her time definitely rang true and anyone who has an interest in the history of pop culture will find this a good read.
March 22, 2014
I always thought Madame Tussaud's was an outdated tourist trap. Although there were short flashes suggesting I was wrong to be so dismissive and some interesting insights into the history of wax works in the first few chapters, they were too few and far between and this book just got tiresome and failed to engage me.
One of the few books I quit reading after a few chapters.
One of the few books I quit reading after a few chapters.
February 10, 2011
Read this thinking it was a different novel (historical fiction) and was very disappointed. This book reads like someone's really dry thesis paper. This is a factual account of Madame Tussaud's life and is very much like reading a textbook. Not what I was looking for!
June 1, 2011
Not usually a fan of Historical Novels, but this one was a compelling and interesting look into a strong woman and the French Revolution.
April 17, 2011
Too much history and not enough about her.
September 21, 2011
Pretty dry and British. She drains the fun out of a very interesting story.
dnf
June 29, 2017It would probably be a good read to somebody's who genuinely interested in Madame Tussaud or Parisian history. Unfortunately, I'm reading for a recommendation list for kids, and this one cannot lah D:
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