Spanish-born Woman Who Found Notoriety for Mishandling a Famous Fresco Restoration Has Died at Age 94
The Spanish parishioner who achieved global fame for her poorly executed restoration attempt on a valuable Jesus Christ fresco has died at the age of 94.
Cecilia Giménez, from the town of Borja in northeast Spain, rose to prominence 13 years ago after she attempted to repaint a 100-year-old painting titled Ecce Homo located in her local church.
Giménez's restoration effort quickly went viral and was dubbed "Monkey Christ", because the altered likeness of Christ's head looking somewhat like a hairy monkey.
Official Confirmation and Tribute
The nonagenarian's death was confirmed by Borja's mayor, Eduardo Arilla, via an online statement, where he described her as a "great enthusiast of painting from a young age".
"Descansa en paz Cecilia, we will always remember you," Arilla wrote.
Arilla also paid tribute to Giménez's "famous restoration of Ecce Homo" in August 2012, which "because of the deteriorated condition it presented, Cecilia, acting in good faith, decided to repaint the work over".
The Painting's History and the Fateful Act
The Ecce Homo ("This is the Man" in Latin) painted by nineteenth-century artist Elias Garcia Martinez had been held for more than a century in the Santuario de la Misericordia near Zaragoza.
At the time, Giménez, then 81, explained that parishioners had "always repaired everything here", and that she had received permission from the local priest to proceed.
She added at the time that anyone who entered the Church would have seen she was applying paint to the existing image.
A Surprising Economic Lifeline
The aftermath of the repaint job led to the creation of the "Monkey Christ" internet phenomenon and saw the once quiet town of Borja quickly become a major visitor attraction.
The municipality, which had in the past seen only five thousand tourists per year, received more than 40,000 tourists by 2013, and generated over €50,000 for charity from the interest.
Today, officials estimate that between 15,000 and 20,000 tourists travel to Borja every year to view the famous portrait, which is now protected by a protective shield of glass.
Later Life and Local Admiration
After recovering from the wave of criticism, backed by local residents and others globally, Giménez later hold an art exhibition showcasing 28 of her personal works.
She was commended by the mayor for her kind-hearted nature and decades of dedication to the church.
Ultimately, what began as a sincere but unsuccessful act of restoration created an unlikely piece of pop culture and brought unprecedented attention and resources to a humble Spanish town.