
I checked this book out of the library today: Permanent Parisians; An Illustrated Guide to The Cemeteries of Paris by Judi Culbertson and Tom Randall.

One of my very favorite places to visit in Paris is the Pere Lachaise Cemetery.

With it's beautiful paths it is a perfect place to picnic with some of the great people in history. Such as Colette, Chopin, Moliere, Balzac, Gertrude and Alice, Marcel Proust and so many more great men and women

MANY years ago Jim Morrison's grave was the easiest to find in this large cemetery. You just followed the smell of pot until you found aging hippies lounging alongside Jim, smoking weed, listening to The Doors, and scrawling their love for Jim all over the tombstones. There was even a weird bust of Jim atop his stone. I wonder who the artist was.

Unfortunately now Jim's grave has been sandblasted clean and there is a little gate around it to keep away all the middle age American's in Dockers with cell phones clamped on their hips. I'm sure Jim has turned over in his grave. I'm sure Jim would've preferred the graffiti.

People come from all over to kiss Oscar Wilde's grave out of admiration.

My friend and muse, Marie Jean, kissed the grave and I immortalized it in this painting.
Acrylic on canvas board.
Acrylic on canvas board.