It took nine to ten months to complete by the sculptor Jacob Epstein, with an accompanying plinth by Charles Holden[1] and an inscription carved by Joseph Cribb.

[4] In 1908 Oscar Wilde's literary executor Robert Ross[3] chose Jacob Epstein for the commission of the tomb at a cost of two thousand pounds, which had been anonymously donated for this purpose.

[5] This was only Epstein's second commission, his first being the sculpture for the Holden-designed British Medical Association building in The Strand; these had been severely criticised for being too sexualised for public consumption.

[7] One can see the influences of Wilde's works in Epstein's original sketches for the tomb, which feature two young men, heads downcast in an image of grief and sorrow upon an empty stone stele.

[9] The monument began as a 20-tonne block of Hopton Wood stone in Derbyshire, England, unveiled to the London press in June 1912.

[13] In Epstein's original sketchings there is a list of ten sins, however none are recognisable clearly on the final monument apart from the Egyptian-like helmet haircuts on the women.

[18] Eventually, as compromise, under Robert Ross' instruction, a bronze plaque similar to the shape of a butterfly was placed upon the testicles of the monument and it was unveiled in early August 1914 by the occultist and poet Aleister Crowley.

[27] A fine of 9,000 euros was created to deter fans, but as many of them were tourists who could leave before being brought to court this did little to stop the practice.

As Ireland's Office of Public Works considers the tomb an Irish monument overseas, it has paid for the cleaning and the barrier.

"[26] The producer Marc Overton, who views Wilde as a personal hero, has been quoted saying he found the lipstick kisses disgusting.

On the other side of this discussion, the architectural historian Lisa Marie has called this an act of devotion and a "fitting monument to a great decadent and aesthete.