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Thursday, 18 June 2009

Life Magazine 1941 - Model and Manikin article on Greneker




Four years prior to this article being printed in 'Life', the magazine had written about the use of heads becoming a feature on mannequins, only just being accepted as the norm in smart store windows. This of course, therefore greatly shortened their life. In this article, model Helen Johnson posed for the sculptor, known only as Peter, in the presence of Lillian Greneker where the process of casting the body in plaster on oiled paper (to protect the skin), from which papier mache molds were then created.


The various parts were pieced together with a 'stock' head size 21.5 inches onto which the cast of the Helen's face was then placed. On the image below the cast reveal a small scar on the model's right cheek and eyelashes left in the cast despite the use of grease to protect them.