Life mask of Ludwig van Beethoven

In 1812 the sculptor Franz Klein was commissioned by the piano manufacturing family Streicher to prepare a bust of Beethoven for a gallery of composers. Beethoven agreed to have a plaster cast of his face made so that the bust would correspond with his appearance as authentically as possible. To this end, Beethoven’s face had to be oiled and then coated with wet plaster of Paris. Two tubes were inserted into his nostrils so that he could breathe. But fearing that he would die of asphyxiation, Beethoven tore the plaster mask off his face so that the first attempt failed. The second try was successful.