This wax moulage was fabricated by Charles Jumelin (1848-1924) in Paris. Its age at present can therefore be estimated at more than a hundred years old. Whether it shows a female or a male individual remains unclear, however, the patient the moulage cast was taken from was probably very young. This individual suffered from syphilitic ulcers on their tongue. Presumably, they were instructed to display this fact by opening their mouth wide and sticking out their tongue as much as possible, before a cast was taken by Mr Jumelin. However, as it is nearly impossible to make a plaster cast from this part of a face in one go, the conservator-restorer assumes that the cast consisted of several parts and that the wax pieces were subsequently assembled in a very skilful manner.

The moulage presented itself with extensive damage to the upper lip, the gums as well as part of the left cheek. No material remained in this area at all, and it was unclear where and when it had been lost, or how the damage had happened. In addition, almost half of the left side of the tongue had been lost. The damages registered by the conservator-restorer made it clear that only the fabrication of an entire new wax piece would lead to a satisfying result for the upper lip and cheek area, whereas the reconstruction of the lost part on the tongue would be possible by adding a wax mixture directly to the moulage.

The production of the new part asked for extensive preparation and numerous work steps. An impression of the damaged area had to be taken, a silicone negative produced and filled with a pre-coloured wax mixture. The customisation of the newly cast wax component was a complex job that required a great deal of attention to detail. Finally, the piece was an exact fit and could be retouched in a neutral colour tone. The damaged tongue was filled with another wax mixture and – like the newly fabricated piece - retouched with special colourants for restoration purposes.

Sabina Carraro, Conservator and restorer, Moulagenmuseum, University of Zurich (Decembre 2023)