Spanish-born Woman Who Found Notoriety for Mishandling a Prized Fresco Restoration Has Died at the Age of 94
The Spanish parishioner who made international headlines for her infamous restoration attempt on a valuable Jesus Christ fresco has died at the age 94.
Cecilia Giménez, from the town of Borja in northern Spain, rose to prominence 13 years ago after she attempted to repaint a 100-year-old fresco titled Ecce Homo housed within her parish church.
Giménez's restoration effort spread across the internet and earned the moniker "Monkey Christ", because the resulting depiction of Christ's head looking somewhat like a furry primate.
Local Announcement and Tribute
The 94-year-old's passing was announced 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".
"Rest in peace Cecilia, your memory will live on with us," Arilla wrote.
Arilla further referenced Giménez's "now-legendary restoration of Ecce Homo" in the summer of 2012, which "because of the poor state of conservation 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 ("This is the Man" in Latin) by 19th century painter Elias Garcia Martinez had been held for over a century in the Sanctuary of Mercy Church close to Zaragoza.
In 2012, Giménez, then 81, stated that parishioners had "traditionally fixed everything here", and that she had received permission from the local priest to proceed.
She added at the time that anybody who entered the church would have seen she was applying paint to the original image.
An Unexpected Tourist Boom
The impact of the repaint job led to the creation of the "Monkey Christ" meme and transformed the once quiet town of Borja quickly become a major tourist destination.
The town, which had previously welcomed just 5,000 visitors per year, received over 40,000 tourists by 2013, and generated over €50,000 for charity from the interest.
Today, officials say that between 15,000 and 20,000 tourists visit Borja each year to view the famous painting, which is now protected by a pane of glass.
Legacy and Community Support
After recovering from the wave of criticism, with support from the townspeople and well-wishers globally, Giménez went on to hold an exhibition of her paintings showcasing twenty-eight of her personal paintings.
She was praised by the mayor for her kind-hearted nature and years of dedication to the parish.
Ultimately, what began as a sincere but flawed act of restoration created an unlikely piece of pop culture and provided remarkable tourist revenue to a small Spanish town.
