Spanish-born Parishioner Who Gained Fame for Botching a Famous Fresco Repair Has Died at the Age of 94
The elderly woman from Spain who made international headlines for her poorly executed repair job on a cherished Jesus Christ fresco has died at the age of 94.
Cecilia Giménez, from the town of Borja in northern Spain, rose to prominence thirteen years ago after she attempted to repaint a century-old fresco titled Ecce Homo housed within her local church.
Giménez's handiwork spread across the internet and was dubbed "Monkey Christ", largely due to the resulting depiction of Christ's head bearing a resemblance to a furry primate.
Official Confirmation and Tribute
The 94-year-old's death was announced by Borja's mayor, Eduardo Arilla, in a social media post, where he acknowledged her as a "passionate lover of painting from a young age".
"Descansa en paz Cecilia, we will always remember you," Arilla wrote.
Arilla further referenced Giménez's "famous 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 Painting's History and the Now-Infamous Intervention
The Ecce Homo ("This is the Man" in Latin) by 19th century artist Elias Garcia Martinez had resided for over a hundred years in the Santuario de la Misericordia near Zaragoza.
At the time, Giménez, who was 81 years old, explained that parishioners had "traditionally fixed everything here", and that she had received permission from the parish priest to do the work.
She also noted that anyone who entered the Church would have seen she was applying paint to the existing image.
A Surprising Economic Lifeline
The impact of the restoration spawned the "Ecce Mono" meme and saw the once quiet town of Borja quickly become a major tourist destination.
The municipality, which had in the past seen only 5,000 tourists per year, received over 40,000 tourists by 2013, and managed to raise over €50,000 for charity from the interest.
Currently, local authorities say that between 15,000 and 20,000 tourists travel to Borja each year to see the notorious painting, which is now protected by a protective shield of glass.
Later Life and Local Support
After recovering from the initial backlash, with support from local residents and well-wishers 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 years of faithful service to the parish.
Ultimately, what began as a sincere but flawed art repair forged an unlikely cultural icon and brought remarkable tourist revenue to a humble Spanish town.
