Spanish Parishioner Who Gained Fame for Botching a Famous Fresco Restoration Has Died at Age 94
The Spanish parishioner who achieved global fame for her poorly executed repair job on a valuable Jesus Christ fresco has passed away at the age 94.
Cecilia Giménez, a resident of the town of Borja in northern Spain, became a global sensation 13 years ago after she attempted to restore a century-old painting titled Ecce Homo located in her local church.
Giménez's restoration effort spread across the internet and was dubbed "Potato Jesus", largely due to the altered depiction of Christ's head bearing a resemblance to a furry primate.
Official Announcement and Tribute
The nonagenarian's passing was announced by Borja's mayor, Eduardo Arilla, via an online statement, where he acknowledged her as a "great lover of painting from a young age".
"Descansa en paz Cecilia, your memory will live on with us," Arilla wrote.
Arilla also paid tribute to Giménez's "now-legendary restoration of Ecce Homo" in the summer of 2012, which "due to the deteriorated condition it was in, Cecilia, acting in good faith, decided to repaint the work over".
The Artwork's Background and the Fateful Intervention
The Ecce Homo ("Behold the Man" in Latin) painted by 19th century artist Elias Garcia Martinez had resided for more than a hundred years in the Sanctuary of Mercy Church close to Zaragoza.
At the time, Giménez, who was 81 years old, explained that parishioners had "traditionally fixed everything here", and that she had been given the go-ahead from the local priest to proceed.
She also noted that anybody who came into the church would have observed she was painting over the existing image.
A Surprising Tourist Boom
The aftermath of the repaint job spawned the "Monkey Christ" internet phenomenon and transformed the once quiet town of Borja rapidly turn into a major tourist destination.
The town, which had previously welcomed just five thousand tourists per year, received more than 40,000 tourists by 2013, and managed to raise more than €50,000 for charity from the interest.
Currently, local authorities estimate that between 15,000 and 20,000 tourists travel to Borja every year to see the notorious painting, which is now protected by a pane of glass.
Legacy and Community Support
After recovering from the wave of criticism, backed by the townspeople and well-wishers globally, Giménez went on to hold an exhibition of her paintings featuring twenty-eight of her personal works.
She was commended by Borja's mayor for her generosity and decades of faithful service to the church.
Ultimately, what began as a sincere but flawed act of restoration forged an unlikely piece of pop culture and brought remarkable attention and resources to a humble Spanish town.
