Cimetière du Père Lachaise

Instead of taking photos of each of the more notable figures to be buried in the grounds, I took shots of what are to my mind the most beautiful gravestones in the cemetery.

Oscar Wilde’s grave is not only mesmerising to look at due to its wholly remarkable early 20th century design. Nor simply due to the fact that it appears to be permanently guarded by a horde of French arty-type students bidding their final farewells to their master of Literature and Libertine lifestyle (an aside: the look on their faces of sheer contempt as I took the photos made me feel like I was in some way desecrating the grave in a most horrid fashion, and made me want to cry out by way of justification: “But I spent eight years at art school too!”).

Moreover, it is the fact that the headstone is covered in lipstick kisses from thousands of Wilde worshippers. I won’t indulge in even the merest diversion concerning the interesting dialogue created when contrasting the implications of the great man’s sexuality with the myriad of rosy lip-shaped tints on his grave… Suffice to say that I too am a fan, and the art student within felt oddly nurtured to have been able to witness Mister Wilde’s final quarters.

Two of the other tombstones I have included here do have art historical references (old habits die hard), but moreover, they are simply stunning. I can now understand what at first seemed slightly fou – the idea of happily traversing a cemetery on the way to and fro work, as many Parisians are want to do – but now I can see why. Cimetière du Père Lachaise is the most visited cemetery in the world for a reason: it is hauntingly picturesque.