Moulage is the practice of making models for medical study. Historically the models were made from wax and felt lifelike, so that doctors could be properly trained to identify and treat diseases such as tuberculosis and leprosy. Sedlacek gives us a scene where a well-dressed sinister-looking man arrives with his porter, valise in hand, at the moulage studio. A woman is painting a half mannequin in the back room. Busts and fully-costumed mannequins fill the shelves and closet. The “doctor” who runs the studio has removed the top half of a skull from a mannequin and is showing off the merchandise to the newly arrived customer, but what does the customer want with it?⠀
