Oscar Wilde (1854-1900), the famous Irish writer who died of meningitis at the age of 46, is currently seeing his grave heavily defaced by his admirers. Buried in the Père Lachaise cemetery in Paris, it would seem that tourists are indeed devoting themselves to a new ritual when they pass the writer’s tomb.
For example, the latter never fail to kiss the sculpted sphinx that adorns Oscar Wilde’s tomb, leaving countless traces of lipstick on the stone… But this apparently harmless gesture is literally altering the sculpture. Lipstick settles on the stone, impregnating it with fatty substances, coloring it and requiring regular cleaning. However, regular cleaning eventually erodes the sculpture, clearly threatening its state of preservation.
In view of the damage, the tomb will soon be renovated and protected by a glass wall to prevent kissing by tourists, thus preserving this historic monument. This Assyrian sphinx, sculpted by Jacob Epstein in 1914, is considered a true treasure of Franco-Irish heritage, and represents the very symbol of Oscar Wilde’s talent, so we had to act as quickly as possible.
This renovation will be celebrated today at the Père Lachaise cemetery, on the 111th anniversary of Oscar Wilde’s death. The Irish Minister for Arts, Culture and the Gaeltacht, Mr Dinny McGinley TD, will be present for the occasion.
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