In the novel Seeing Further by Bill Bryson which is about the Royal Society he talks about, well the Royal Society!
That is of course not surprising!
Then again he talks about one of the famed members of the Royal Society; one bloke called Isaac Newton!
Then again that is also not surprising!
But! Have you heard of the Newton’s death mask!
That is the juicy story right there! Who told you history is boring! Most probably your biology teacher!
Anyway you must know about this piece of history! Newton’s Death mask!
Newton’s death mask is a plaster or wax sculpture cast within hours of his passing on March 31, 1727!
Created by Flemish artist Michael Rysbrack, it was intended as an anatomical reference for sculpting Newton’s Westminster Abbey tomb.
Several copies exist in institutions like the Royal Society Picture Library and the Huntington Library.
By the way it was not just any other mask! It was taken right after death, which is why the mask shows Newton with closed eyes and a slightly flattened nose due to the weight of the wet plaster!
The existence of multiple authentic copies demonstrates the intense reverence held for Newton during the Enlightenment.
Then you have several historical and modern facts regarding the mask!
Prime of which is the Thomas Jefferson Connection! The plaster mask held at the Huntington Library was once owned by Thomas Jefferson, who prominently displayed it at Monticello as an emblem of the Enlightenment!
An iron/pewter version exists at Woolsthorpe Manor, which was bought in a Camden junk shop in 1930 for just £2.10s! Do not ask me the price now!
In 2012, researchers used an Xbox Kinect to create a highly accurate 3D model of the mask, ensuring the scientist’s physical likeness is preserved forever!
And you thought only the Mask of Jim Carrey was famous!
Then again more famous and pious is Jetsun Jamphel Ngawang Lobsang Yeshe Tenzin Gyatso! You may know him as the Dalai Lama!
Big respect to his holy grace on his birthday…
Now remove all your pseudo masks and sleep!
Shubh ratri…
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