Spanish Woman Who Found Fame for Botching a Prized Painting Repair Has Died at the Age of 94
The Spanish parishioner who achieved global fame for her infamous restoration attempt on a cherished religious painting 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 restore a century-old fresco 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 depiction of Christ's head looking somewhat like a furry primate.
Local Announcement and Homage
The 94-year-old's passing was confirmed by Borja's mayor, Eduardo Arilla, via an online statement, where he acknowledged her as a "passionate lover of painting from a very early age".
"Descansa en paz Cecilia, we will always remember you," the mayor posted.
Arilla further referenced Giménez's "now-legendary restoration of Ecce Homo" in August 2012, which "because of the deteriorated condition it presented, Cecilia, with the best intentions, decided to repaint the work over".
The Painting's Background and the Fateful Act
The Ecce Homo ("Behold the Man" in Latin) painted by nineteenth-century artist Elias Garcia Martinez had resided for more than a hundred years in the Sanctuary of Mercy Church near Zaragoza.
In 2012, Giménez, then 81, stated that church members had "always repaired everything here", and that she had received permission from the local priest to proceed.
She also noted that anybody who entered the church would have observed she was painting over the original artwork.
An Unexpected Economic Lifeline
The impact of the repaint job spawned the "Ecce Mono" meme and saw the previously sleepy town of Borja quickly become a significant tourist destination.
The town, which had in the past seen only five thousand tourists per year, received more than 40,000 tourists by 2013, and managed to raise more than €50,000 for charity from the attention.
Today, local authorities say that between 15,000 and 20,000 tourists travel to Borja every year to view the famous painting, which is now displayed behind a protective shield of glass.
Later Life and Local Admiration
After recovering from the initial backlash, backed by the townspeople and others globally, Giménez went on to stage an art exhibition showcasing 28 of her personal works.
She was praised by Borja's mayor for her kind-hearted nature and years of dedication to the parish.
Ultimately, what began as a well-intentioned but unsuccessful act of restoration created an unlikely cultural icon and provided unprecedented tourist revenue to a humble Spanish town.