About this piece
back to topA fascinating 20th century painted plaster bust of Keith Buterbaugh from the collection of British make-up artist, Christopher Tucker.
Born in Alaska, Keith Buterbaugh is an American actor, performer and musician, working most recently on films such as Joker as Band Leader. Buterbaugh made his Broadway debut as Raoul in Andrew Lloyd Webber’s ‘The Phantom of the Opera’ in which Tucker was the makeup designer.
This is just one of many face casts and plaster busts we are selling from Tucker’s outstanding collection, capturing the facial features and minute details of iconic actors from theatre and film.
Life Casting
While an unusual practice to most, plaster casts like these are commonplace in the world of acting. Also known as life casting, the process involves creating a three-dimensional mould of a head, limb or body part, capturing every detail in precise and intricate definition – from the single wrinkle of an eyelid to the individual pores of a nose.
Once set and removed, the cast can be filled with plaster and used to create a highly detailed replica of the person’s body part, which can later be used to craft creative prosthetics for film and theatre.
This plaster bust is one such example of a life cast, created by the highly celebrated Christopher Tucker. To the modern collector, it will make an eye-catching and unusual piece for sculptural interior display.
Christopher Tucker
Christopher Tucker (1941-2022) was an award-winning British make-up artist, specialising in prosthetics for theatre and film. Over his vast career, Tucker worked on a number of famous film and theatrical sets, creating prosthetics for the likes of The Phantom of the Opera, Star Wars and The Company of Wolves, as well as the spectacular transformation of John Hurt into The Elephant Man.
Following Tucker’s death in 2022, his expansive collection of film memorabilia was sold, including a vast collection of plaster busts and face casts of actors he’d worked with over the years.
