Spanish Parishioner Who Gained Fame for Botching a Prized Painting Restoration Has Died at Age 94
The elderly woman from Spain who made international headlines for her poorly executed restoration attempt on a valuable religious painting has passed away at the age of 94.
The woman, a resident of the town of Borja in northeast Spain, rose to prominence 13 years ago after she attempted to restore a 100-year-old painting titled Ecce Homo housed within her parish church.
Giménez's restoration effort spread across the internet and earned the moniker "Potato Jesus", largely due to the resulting likeness of Christ's head looking somewhat like a furry primate.
Local Announcement and Tribute
The nonagenarian's death was announced by the town's mayor, Eduardo Arilla, via an online statement, where he acknowledged her as a "passionate enthusiast 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 August 2012, which "because of the poor state of conservation it was in, Cecilia, with the best intentions, chose to repaint the work over".
The Artwork's History and the Fateful Intervention
The Ecce Homo ("This is the Man" in Latin) painted by 19th century painter Elias Garcia Martinez had resided for over a century in the Sanctuary of Mercy Church close to Zaragoza.
At the time, Giménez, who was 81 years old, explained that parishioners had "traditionally fixed everything here", and that she had been given the go-ahead from the local priest to proceed.
She also noted that anyone who entered the Church would have observed she was painting over the existing artwork.
An Unexpected Tourist Boom
The impact of the restoration spawned the "Monkey Christ" internet phenomenon and transformed the previously sleepy town of Borja rapidly turn into a significant tourist destination.
The town, which had previously seen only five thousand visitors per year, attracted over 40,000 tourists by 2013, and managed to raise over €50,000 for charity from the interest.
Today, local authorities say that between 15,000 and 20,000 tourists travel to Borja every year to see the notorious portrait, which is now protected by a protective shield of glass.
Legacy and Community 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 praised by the mayor for her kind-hearted nature and decades of faithful service to the church.
Ultimately, what began as a well-intentioned but unsuccessful art repair forged an unlikely cultural icon and brought unprecedented attention and resources to a small Spanish town.