Spanish-born Parishioner Who Gained Notoriety for Botching a Famous Fresco Restoration Has Died at Age 94
The Spanish parishioner who achieved global fame for her poorly executed restoration attempt on a cherished Jesus Christ fresco has passed away at the age of 94.
Cecilia Giménez, from the town of Borja in northeast Spain, became a global sensation thirteen years ago after she undertook to restore a century-old painting known as Ecce Homo housed within her parish church.
Giménez's handiwork spread across the internet and was dubbed "Monkey Christ", largely due to the resulting likeness of Christ's head looking somewhat like a hairy monkey.
Local Announcement and Homage
The nonagenarian's death was announced by the town's mayor, Eduardo Arilla, via an online statement, where he described her as a "passionate enthusiast of painting from a very early age".
"Descansa en paz Cecilia, your memory will live on with us," the mayor posted.
Arilla also paid tribute to Giménez's "now-legendary restoration of Ecce Homo" in August 2012, which "due to the poor state of conservation it was in, Cecilia, acting in good faith, chose to repaint the work over".
The Painting's History and the Fateful Intervention
The Ecce Homo ("This is the Man" in Latin) painted by nineteenth-century painter Elias Garcia Martinez had resided for more than a hundred years in the Sanctuary of Mercy Church near Zaragoza.
At the time, Giménez, who was 81 years old, explained that parishioners had "always repaired everything here", and that she had been given the go-ahead from the local priest to proceed.
She also noted that anyone who entered the church would have observed she was painting over the original artwork.
A Surprising Economic Lifeline
The aftermath of the repaint job spawned the "Monkey Christ" internet phenomenon and saw the previously sleepy town of Borja quickly become a major visitor attraction.
The municipality, which had previously seen only 5,000 visitors per year, attracted over 40,000 tourists by 2013, and generated more than €50,000 for charity from the interest.
Currently, officials say that somewhere around 15,000 and 20,000 tourists travel to Borja every year to see the notorious portrait, which is now protected by a protective shield of glass.
Legacy and Local Support
Following the wave of criticism, backed by local residents and others globally, Giménez later hold an art exhibition featuring 28 of her personal works.
She was commended by the mayor for her kind-hearted nature and years of dedication to the church.
Ultimately, what began as a sincere but unsuccessful act of restoration forged an improbable piece of pop culture and provided unprecedented tourist revenue to a humble Spanish town.
