Guest 640- Registered: 21 Apr 2007
- Posts: 7,819
#1
This might possibly be one for our Jeane.
Interesting item on the Radio Four a few minutes ago. Today the famous Oscar Wilde Tomb at the Pere Lachaise cemetery in Paris which has been remodelled at some considerable expense is being unveiled. The Irish government , no doubt proud of its star writer, or one of its star writers, has funded the work which will be unveiled today in Paris. Various celebrities in attendance.
Women the world over come to this very tomb in the Pere Lachaise cemetery so that they can kiss the monument. The net result of all this kissing, and who says kissing isnt bad for you, is that dear oul Oscar's monument has corroded away big time. It seems there is oodles of chemicals in all that lipstick so not so good for such a majestic tomb...the lipstick has corroded the monument away. Oscar would have loved the thought of all them wimmin kissing him though...such wit banter and flamboyance is clearly loved by women the world over.
Jeane if I remember rightly has been to this very tomb...so am now hoping she can put up a picture of aforementioned monument. Calling Jeane...come in..can you put a picture up of said tomb??
Oscar Wilde was of course flamboyantly homosexual at a time when such a practice was illegal. He ended up spending several years in jail doing hard labour in terribly physical circumstances (The Ballad of Reading Gaol). But because of both his enduring fame and his suffering, not only for his art but for his sexual preferences, his saga may have contributed greatly to bringing about wider awareness of homosexuality and an eventual change in the law.
PS: the kissing will be difficult henceforth as new glass panels are being fitted around the new tomb as an act of preservance. Where will all those kisses go now??
Guest 657- Registered: 13 Mar 2008
- Posts: 3,037
#2
This was in the paper on Monday:
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2066880/Oscar-Wildes-grave-shielded-public-kissers-fears-lipstick-eroding-stone.html
Here are a few photos taken on my last trip to see Oscar in Pere Lachaise cemetery, Paris. I've never been tempted to kiss him though!
Guest 710- Registered: 28 Feb 2011
- Posts: 6,950
#3
Ignorance is bliss, bliss is happiness, I am happy...to draw your attention to the possible connectivity in the foregoing.
Guest 640- Registered: 21 Apr 2007
- Posts: 7,819
#4
Ah yes, they are the pictures I remember..well done Jeane. Great stuff there, you trawled and found them pretty quick. No doubt they will all kiss the glass now.
As Tom is a bit of a poet here is some of...
The Ballad of Reading Gaol
Yet each man kills the thing he loves
By each let this be heard.
Some do it with a bitter look,
Some with a flattering word.
The coward does it with a kiss,
The brave man with a sword!
Oscar Wilde
Yes I believe Jim Morrison gets a fair few kisses in Paris as well.
Guest 710- Registered: 28 Feb 2011
- Posts: 6,950
#5
Thank you Paul. OW may have been the most famous 'guest'. In addition to his poetry at the time he also spoke passionately about prison conditions in general and wrote letters in support of one Guard who was sacked for giving the youngest of a group of young boys a biscuit.
Speaking of titbits. A mere one percent above inflation rail fare increase...yum-yum.
Ignorance is bliss, bliss is happiness, I am happy...to draw your attention to the possible connectivity in the foregoing.
howard mcsweeney1- Location: Dover
- Registered: 12 Mar 2008
- Posts: 62,352
#6
must be one of the greatest ever wits, one of my favourites was after he had said something funny another writer(might have been shaw) said "i wish i had said that oscar".
the reply came back "ah but you will".
Guest 710- Registered: 28 Feb 2011
- Posts: 6,950
#7
"I have nothing to declare but my genius."
"I can resist everything but temptation."
Ignorance is bliss, bliss is happiness, I am happy...to draw your attention to the possible connectivity in the foregoing.
Guest 698- Registered: 28 May 2010
- Posts: 8,664
#8
#6, it was James Whistler as I remember.
I'm an optimist. But I'm an optimist who takes my raincoat - Harold Wilson
Guest 641- Registered: 12 Mar 2008
- Posts: 2,335
#9
"35 is a very attractive age, London Society is full of women who have, of their own free choice, remained 35 for years"
Guest 657- Registered: 13 Mar 2008
- Posts: 3,037
#10
Jim Morrison was lipstick free Tom, his grave is fenced off and if anyone sneeks in are usually removed pronto by the security guys on patrol.
Guest 640- Registered: 21 Apr 2007
- Posts: 7,819
#11
Well done with the pic again Jeane..right on the money.
My favourite OW saying is...
"We are all in the gutter but some of us are looking at the stars!"
very apt for these times
Guest 657- Registered: 13 Mar 2008
- Posts: 3,037
#12
You are very welcome.
That's one of my fave Oscar Wilde quotes as well
Guest 710- Registered: 28 Feb 2011
- Posts: 6,950
#13
Thanks for the JM memorial pic and info Jeane. I suppose they attract a slightly different following, OW & JM, with perhaps lipstick more in evidence with Oscar not being all that of a surprise.
Ignorance is bliss, bliss is happiness, I am happy...to draw your attention to the possible connectivity in the foregoing.
Guest 657- Registered: 13 Mar 2008
- Posts: 3,037
#14
Guest 656- Registered: 13 Mar 2008
- Posts: 2,262
#15
Great set of pictures above Jeane, I'm a big fan of Oscar Wilde, I remember as a young girl reading 'The Happy Prince', I was captivated by this story and continued to take a great interest in all his works.
What an earth do they put in lipstick which eventually breaks down stonework
Heaven knows what it has done to our lips over the years
Guest 657- Registered: 13 Mar 2008
- Posts: 3,037
#16
Thanks Colette.
Hmmm yes, it does make you wonder what goes into our lippy
