Featured Galleries: Wax Dolls

Some of the most striking dolls in the Museum's collection are those which were made with wax. While wax can add realism to a doll by replicating flesh, this realism can sometimes be uncanny, and as these dolls are delicate their wax components can become damaged in a manner that often appears horrific. Experimentation with wax dollmaking in Europe began in the late 18th century and evolved out of the production of religious figures for ceremonial display. Wax dolls can be divided into two types: Poured Wax Dolls are those whose heads or entire bodies were cast in hot wax in a mould. These dolls were often produced as artworks rather than playthings, though several companies produced fine poured wax dolls for children in the mid 19th century. Dipped Wax Dolls are those made of papier mache or composition which are then dipped in a coating of wax to simulate realistic flesh. As these dolls age they can expand or contract causing their wax coating to crack and flake away. Three such dolls in the collection have lost their wax coatings completely.