Spanish-born Woman Who Found Fame for Botching a Prized Painting Restoration Dies at Age 94
The Spanish parishioner who made international headlines for her poorly executed repair job on a valuable Jesus Christ fresco has passed away at the age of 94.
The woman, a resident of the town of Borja in northeast Spain, rose to prominence thirteen years ago after she undertook to repaint a century-old painting titled Ecce Homo housed within her local church.
Giménez's handiwork quickly went viral and was dubbed "Potato Jesus", largely due to the resulting depiction of Christ's head looking somewhat like a furry primate.
Local Confirmation and Tribute
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 very early age".
"Rest in peace Cecilia, we will always remember you," Arilla wrote.
Arilla also paid tribute to Giménez's "famous restoration of Ecce Homo" in August 2012, which "due to the deteriorated condition it was in, Cecilia, acting in good faith, chose to apply new paint over the original".
The Artwork's Background and the Fateful Act
The Ecce Homo ("Behold the Man" in Latin) by 19th 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, explained that church members had "always repaired everything here", and that she had received permission from the local priest to proceed.
She also noted that anyone who came into the Church would have seen she was painting over the original artwork.
An Unexpected Economic Lifeline
The impact of the restoration led to the creation of the "Monkey Christ" meme and transformed the previously sleepy town of Borja rapidly turn into a significant tourist destination.
The town, which had in the past welcomed just five thousand tourists per year, received over 40,000 tourists by 2013, and generated over €50,000 for charity from the interest.
Today, local authorities say that between 15,000 and 20,000 tourists visit Borja every year to see the famous portrait, which is now displayed behind a protective shield of glass.
Legacy and Local Support
Following the wave of criticism, backed by the townspeople and others globally, Giménez went on to stage an exhibition of her paintings showcasing 28 of her own paintings.
She was commended by Borja's mayor for her generosity and decades of dedication to the church.
Ultimately, what began as a sincere but unsuccessful art repair created an improbable piece of pop culture and brought remarkable tourist revenue to a humble Spanish town.