Painted plaster death mask of James Bloomfield Rush, England, 1849-1900

Made:
1849-1900 in England and United Kingdom
Painted plaster death mask of J.B

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Painted plaster death mask of J.B
Science Museum Group Collection
© The Board of Trustees of the Science Museum

Painted plaster copy of death mask of James Bloomfield Rush (1800-1849), the notorious 'Killer in the Fog', probably part of a set of phrenological heads of criminals (a 'Murderers' Row'), unsigned, British, 1849-1900. This copy may have been made by the Tussaud waxworks who donated this object to the Wellcome collections in 1936.

James Bloomfield Rush (1800-1849) murdered Isaac Jermy (his landlord), and injuried Mrs Jermy and the maid at Stanfield Hall, Norfolk, England, on 28 November 1848. Rush became known as the ‘Killer in the Fog’ and was hanged for his crime on 21 April 1849. This is a plaster copy of his death mask. It is thought that this face was part of a set of phrenological heads known as ‘murderers’ row’. (Phrenologists believed that character could be read from the lumps and bumps of the skull.) This copy may have been made by the Tussaud waxworks who donated this object to the Wellcome collections in 1936.

Details

Category:
Psychology, Psychiatry & Anthropometry
Collection:
Sir Henry Wellcome's Museum Collection
Object Number:
A127716
Materials:
plaster and paint
Measurements:
overall: 310 mm x 170 mm x 240 mm, 2.495kg
type:
death mask
credit:
Tussaud, John