Spanish Parishioner Who Found Fame for Botching a Famous Painting Restoration Has Died at Age 94
The elderly woman from Spain who made international headlines for her infamous restoration attempt on a cherished religious painting has passed away at the age of 94.
The woman, from the town of Borja in northeast Spain, rose to prominence 13 years ago after she attempted to repaint a century-old fresco titled Ecce Homo housed within her parish church.
Giménez's handiwork spread across the internet and was dubbed "Monkey Christ", because the altered likeness of Christ's head bearing a resemblance to a hairy monkey.
Official Announcement and Tribute
The 94-year-old's passing was announced by Borja's mayor, Eduardo Arilla, in a social media post, where he described her as a "great enthusiast of painting from a young age".
"Descansa en paz 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 poor state of conservation it was in, Cecilia, acting in good faith, chose to repaint the work over".
The Artwork's History and the Now-Infamous Act
The Ecce Homo ("This is the Man" in Latin) painted by 19th century painter Elias Garcia Martinez had been held for more than a hundred years in the Sanctuary of Mercy Church near Zaragoza.
At the time, Giménez, who was 81 years old, explained that parishioners had "always repaired everything here", and that she had received permission from the local priest to proceed.
She added at the time that anyone who came into the church would have seen she was applying paint to the original image.
An Unexpected Economic Lifeline
The aftermath of the repaint job spawned the "Ecce Mono" meme and transformed the previously sleepy town of Borja rapidly turn into a major tourist destination.
The municipality, which had previously seen only five thousand tourists per year, attracted more than 40,000 tourists by 2013, and managed to raise more than €50,000 for charity from the interest.
Currently, local authorities estimate that between 15,000 and 20,000 tourists travel to Borja every year to view the famous painting, which is now displayed behind a pane of glass.
Legacy and Local Admiration
Following the initial backlash, backed by the townspeople and well-wishers around the world, Giménez went on to hold an art exhibition featuring twenty-eight of her own works.
She was commended by the mayor for her kind-hearted nature and years of dedication to the parish.
In the end, what began as a well-intentioned but unsuccessful act of restoration forged an improbable cultural icon and brought remarkable tourist revenue to a humble Spanish town.
