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Spanish Woman Who Found Notoriety for Mishandling a Famous Fresco Restoration Dies at the Age of 94
The Spanish parishioner who achieved global fame for her poorly executed restoration attempt on a valuable Jesus Christ fresco has passed away at the age of 94.
The woman, a resident of the town of Borja in northern Spain, rose to prominence 13 years ago after she attempted to repaint a 100-year-old painting titled Ecce Homo located in her local church.
Giménez's handiwork quickly went viral and was dubbed "Monkey Christ", largely due to the resulting likeness of Christ's head looking somewhat like a hairy monkey.
Official Announcement and Tribute
The 94-year-old's death was announced by Borja's mayor, Eduardo Arilla, via an online statement, where he acknowledged her as a "great lover of painting from a very early age".
"Rest in peace Cecilia, your memory will live on with us," the mayor posted.
Arilla further referenced Giménez's "famous restoration of Ecce Homo" in the summer of 2012, which "due to the poor state of conservation it presented, Cecilia, with the best intentions, chose to apply new paint over the original".
The Artwork's History and the Now-Infamous Intervention
The Ecce Homo ("Behold the Man" in Latin) painted by 19th century artist Elias Garcia Martinez had been held for over a century in the Sanctuary of Mercy Church near Zaragoza.
At the time, Giménez, then 81, explained that church members had "traditionally fixed everything here", and that she had been given the go-ahead from the parish priest to proceed.
She added at the time that anybody who came into the church would have observed she was painting over the existing image.
A Surprising 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 significant visitor attraction.
The town, which had previously welcomed just 5,000 visitors per year, received over 40,000 tourists by 2013, and generated over €50,000 for charity from the attention.
Currently, officials say that between 15,000 and 20,000 tourists visit Borja every year to view the notorious painting, which is now displayed behind a pane of glass.
Legacy and Local Support
After recovering from the initial backlash, with support from local residents and others globally, Giménez later stage an art exhibition showcasing 28 of her own works.
She was commended by Borja's mayor for her kind-hearted nature and years of dedication to the parish.
Ultimately, what began as a well-intentioned but flawed act of restoration forged an improbable piece of pop culture and brought unprecedented attention and resources to a small Spanish town.
Timothy Haynes
Elara is a passionate gamer and tech writer with years of experience covering industry trends and game analysis.
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