Overzealous get the kiss-off at Wilde's refurbished tomb

PARIS: The tomb of Oscar Wilde has been restored to its original glory in the Pere Lachaise cemetery in Paris, after decades of lipstick kisses, left by fans as a token of their love for the dramatist, were finally removed.

The actor Rupert Everett and Wilde's grandson Merlin Holland were among those at an unveiling on Wednesday. The ceremony marked a restoration that returns the memorial to the look its sculptor, Sir Jacob Epstein, envisaged in 1912. There is also now a barrier to deter those who want to kiss Wilde's tomb.

The monument to Wilde, who died in Paris aged 46 in abject poverty, features a flying naked angel inspired by the British Museum's Assyrian figures.   Read More