Bentham's head

Dr. Southwood Smith put Bentham’s head in an air pump suspended over sulphuric acid to preserve it. This dehydrated the head, but failed to preserve any expression.

For Smith, “this would not do for exhibition”. Instead, Smith commissioned Jacques Talrich, a French artist who specialised in medical models, to produce a wax head. This is now displayed with the auto-icon. Bentham’s friend, Henry Brougham, remarked that the head’s likeness was “so perfect that it seems as if alive.”