Oscar Wilde may be a major figure in European literature today, but it was in complete destitution that he died in Paris in 1900, aged just 46. Five years earlier in England, the poet and playwright had been thrown into prison and sentenced to two years' hard labor, allegedly for a homosexual kiss. On his release, he chose to flee his country for Paris, and it was at the Hôtel d'Alsace, in the heart of Saint-Germain-des-Prés, that he died three years later. Soberly buried in the Bagneux cemetery, it wasn't until 1909 that he was moved to the Père Lachaise cemetery, after his last lover, Robert Ross, had raised enough money to pay for a plot. And it was this tomb, in the 89th division of Paris's best-known cemetery, that became the talk of the town. We tell you all about the trials and tribulations of this eccentric tomb!
Attributes a little too prominent
Sculpted by the American Job Epstein from a 20-ton block of white stone, the tomb depicts an immense winged Sphinx. In 1912, the funerary creation had not yet been completed, let alone unveiled to the public, but it was already arousing indignation. The reason? Rumor had it that it would feature very prominent genitalia. This is all the more worrying as the sculptor has already made a name for himself on the other side of the Channel with a series of eighteen entirely nude statues for the facade of the British Medical Association building in London.
Two years later, the sculpture revealed genitalia on the angel overlooking the vault. The depiction was deemed indecent and caused a scandal. A scandal that would not soon die down. Legend has it that in 1961, two English women shocked by the sight of this virile member emasculated the sculpture with stones... or umbrellas. Recovered by the museum's curator, the attributes were then used as a paperweight! In the meantime, there are no photographs showing these famous parts...
Kissing Oscar, a little-appreciated ritual
Another time, another anecdote! In the 1990s, the tomb became the object of an astonishing ritual. No one really knows why, but admirers (and, above all, female admirers) of the famous poet took up the habit of placing a lipstick kiss on this tomb with its sulphurous past. A tribute that was no doubt well-intentioned - it was for a kiss that Oscar Wilde was imprisoned - but which has damaged the sculpture over the years. In 2011, two-metre-high plastic panes were placed around the stone walls to prevent admirers from climbing onto the unfortunate neighbouring grave to place the traditional kiss to Oscar.
Tomb of Oscar Wilde - Père Lachaise Cemetery, 89th division
16 Rue du Repos, 75020
Metro: Philippe-Auguste (line 2)
article from: https://www.pariszigzag.fr/secret/lieux-insolites/la-scandaleuse-tombe-doscar-wilde-au-pere-lachaise
