Paris Cemetery Scandal: The Mystery of Oscar Wilde’s Tomb

Père Lachaise Cemetery in Paris is renowned as the final resting place of numerous cultural icons, including Jim Morrison, the legendary frontman of The Doors. Another notable figure buried there is the celebrated Irish writer Oscar Wilde, whose gravesite has been the center of controversy long after his death.

One of the most peculiar mysteries surrounding Wilde’s tomb involves the sculpted figure that adorns his imposing 9-foot by 11-foot memorial. Created by artist Jacob Epstein in 1912, the statue depicts a winged man in a dynamic, semi-prone position. However, it wasn’t just the striking design that drew attention—the statue’s prominently carved testicles became a source of scandal.

Upon its unveiling, the anatomical detail was deemed so inappropriate that cemetery officials hastily draped the monument with a tarp to shield it from public view. Epstein challenged this censorship in court, ultimately winning the right to uncover his work. However, to maintain decorum, a bronze plaque was placed over the offending area. This did little to deter curiosity, and the plaque itself was later stolen.

In 1912, journalist James Bone offered a vivid description of Jacob Epstein’s striking memorial to Oscar Wilde in The Guardian, capturing the dynamic energy and unconventional artistry of the sculpture. Reflecting on the monument’s unique form, he wrote:

“The upper half of the block is a great wing which begins and ends squarely. The figure, which is in deep relief, holds its head proudly, the chest almost on the same plane, the body almost parallel with the ground, and the sense of speed given by the confident head and the wing is increased by the great straight arm pressed into the side, the fingers extended. The legs are not in a straight line with the body, as in the usual convention, but fall away at an angle to the knee and then straight back with the foot taut, adding to the feeling of supernatural motion by the superb confidence they express.”

Notably absent from Bone’s poetic description were the statue’s most controversial details—the prominently sculpted testicles. What he left unsaid was Jacob Epstein’s bold artistic flourish: a pair of limestone testicles that would go on to spark considerable debate. For years, attempts were made to obscure the controversial feature, with the figure being repeatedly covered.

Though Wilde himself was a figure who defied societal norms, the artistic tribute to his legacy quickly became the subject of censorship, legal disputes, and ultimately, a bizarre mystery that would see the statue’s infamous testicles vanish entirely in 1961. According to persistent rumors, they were eventually returned but never restored to the statue. Instead, a cemetery employee is said to have repurposed them—turning the once-scandalous sculpted testicles into an unlikely set of paperweights.

Oscar Wilde’s tomb continues to captivate visitors from around the world, who flock to the site to leave lipstick kisses and heartfelt messages in tribute to the legendary writer. Yet, the fate of the missing testicles remains a mystery, adding another layer of intrigue to one of Père Lachaise Cemetery’s most notorious and enigmatic monuments.