Spanish Parishioner Who Found Notoriety for Mishandling a Famous Fresco Restoration Has Died at Age 94
The elderly woman from Spain who made international headlines for her poorly executed restoration attempt on a cherished Jesus Christ fresco has died at the age 94.
Cecilia Giménez, from the town of Borja in northeast Spain, rose to prominence thirteen years ago after she undertook to repaint a century-old painting known as Ecce Homo located in her local church.
Giménez's handiwork quickly went viral and earned the moniker "Monkey Christ", largely due to the altered depiction of Christ's head bearing a resemblance to a furry primate.
Official Confirmation and Tribute
The nonagenarian's death was confirmed by the town's mayor, Eduardo Arilla, via an online statement, where he acknowledged her as a "great lover of painting from a very early age".
"Descansa en paz Cecilia, your memory will live on with us," Arilla wrote.
Arilla further referenced Giménez's "famous restoration of Ecce Homo" in August 2012, which "because of the deteriorated condition it presented, Cecilia, with the best intentions, decided to repaint the work over".
The Artwork's Background and the Now-Infamous Intervention
The Ecce Homo ("This is the Man" in Latin) painted by 19th century artist Elias Garcia Martinez had been held for more than a century in the Santuario de la Misericordia near Zaragoza.
In 2012, Giménez, then 81, stated that parishioners had "always repaired everything here", and that she had been given the go-ahead from the local priest to do the work.
She also noted that anyone who came into the church would have observed she was applying paint to the original artwork.
An Unexpected Economic Lifeline
The aftermath of the repaint job led to the creation of the "Ecce Mono" meme and saw the previously sleepy town of Borja rapidly turn into a significant tourist destination.
The municipality, which had in the past seen only five thousand tourists per year, attracted more than 40,000 tourists by 2013, and managed to raise over €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 portrait, which is now protected by a pane of glass.
Later Life and Community Support
Following the wave of criticism, with support from local residents and well-wishers around the world, Giménez later stage an art exhibition showcasing 28 of her own works.
She was praised by Borja's mayor for her kind-hearted nature and years of dedication to the parish.
Ultimately, what began as a well-intentioned but flawed art repair forged an unlikely piece of pop culture and provided unprecedented attention and resources to a small Spanish town.
