Spanish-born Parishioner Who Found Fame 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 religious painting has died at the age of 94.
The woman, from the town of Borja in northern Spain, rose to prominence thirteen years ago after she attempted to restore a 100-year-old painting titled Ecce Homo located in her parish church.
Giménez's handiwork spread across the internet and was dubbed "Potato Jesus", 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 "great enthusiast of painting from a young age".
"Rest in peace 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 presented, Cecilia, with the best intentions, decided to apply new paint over the original".
The Artwork's History and the Now-Infamous Act
The Ecce Homo ("This is the Man" in Latin) painted by nineteenth-century artist Elias Garcia Martinez had resided for more than a century in the Santuario de la Misericordia near Zaragoza.
In 2012, Giménez, who was 81 years old, stated that church members 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 entered the Church would have observed she was applying paint to the existing image.
An Unexpected Economic Lifeline
The impact of the repaint job spawned the "Monkey Christ" internet phenomenon 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, attracted more than 40,000 tourists by 2013, and managed to raise more than €50,000 for charity from the interest.
Today, officials say that somewhere around 15,000 and 20,000 tourists travel to Borja each year to see the famous painting, which is now displayed behind a pane of glass.
Legacy and Community Support
After recovering from the initial backlash, backed by the townspeople and well-wishers around the world, Giménez went on to hold an art exhibition showcasing 28 of her own works.
She was commended by the mayor for her generosity and years of dedication to the parish.
Ultimately, what began as a well-intentioned but flawed art repair created an improbable piece of pop culture and brought unprecedented attention and resources to a small Spanish town.
