{"id":3524,"date":"2019-02-18T08:28:03","date_gmt":"2019-02-18T08:28:03","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/invitation2events.co.uk\/blog\/?p=3524"},"modified":"2023-04-15T14:35:36","modified_gmt":"2023-04-15T14:35:36","slug":"the-history-of-the-wax-museum","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/invitation2events.co.uk\/blog\/?p=3524","title":{"rendered":"The history of the Wax Museum"},"content":{"rendered":"

Middle Ages<\/h2>\n

The idea of making\u00a0life-size wax figures, wearing real clothes, stems from the funerals of European royalty in the middle ages.<\/p>\n

Originally the corpse would be carried, fully dressed, on top of their coffin at royal funerals. However this was unpleasant\u00a0in hot weather so a wax effigy was used instead. As the “body” was wearing clothes only the head and hands needed wax models. After the funeral these were displayed in the church and became a popular attraction.<\/p>\n

Westminster Abbey has recently opened\u00a0“The Galleries” which are a medieval space high above the Abbey floor. The Galleries tell the story of the Abbey’s thousand-year history and display it’s greatest treasures, including Henry VII effigy head.<\/p>\n

“Modelled on Henry VII\u2019s death mask, the king\u2019s effigy head is stunningly lifelike and all that survives of his funeral effigy which was carried on his coffin. There are 21 funeral effigies, from the 14th to early 17th centuries, in the Galleries.”<\/a><\/em><\/p>\n