Spanish Woman Who Gained Fame for Mishandling a Prized Painting Repair Has Died at Age 94
The elderly woman from Spain who made international headlines for her poorly executed repair job on a cherished religious painting has died at the age 94.
Cecilia Giménez, a resident of the town of Borja in northern Spain, became a global sensation 13 years ago after she undertook to restore a century-old fresco known as Ecce Homo located in her parish church.
Giménez's handiwork spread across the internet and was dubbed "Potato Jesus", largely due to the altered likeness of Christ's head bearing a resemblance to a furry primate.
Local Confirmation and Homage
The nonagenarian's passing was announced by Borja's mayor, Eduardo Arilla, via an online statement, where he described her as a "great lover of painting from a very early age".
"Rest in peace Cecilia, we will always remember you," the mayor posted.
Arilla further referenced Giménez's "famous restoration of Ecce Homo" in August 2012, which "due to the poor state of conservation it presented, Cecilia, acting in good faith, decided to apply new paint over the original".
The Painting's History and the Now-Infamous Act
The Ecce Homo ("Behold the Man" in Latin) by nineteenth-century artist Elias Garcia Martinez had been held for over a hundred years in the Sanctuary of Mercy Church close to Zaragoza.
At the time, Giménez, then 81, explained that parishioners had "always repaired everything here", and that she had received permission from the parish priest to proceed.
She added at the time that anyone who entered the Church would have seen she was painting over the original artwork.
An Unexpected Economic Lifeline
The impact of the repaint job led to the creation of the "Ecce Mono" internet phenomenon and saw the previously sleepy town of Borja quickly become a major tourist destination.
The town, which had in the past welcomed just five thousand visitors per year, attracted more than 40,000 tourists by 2013, and generated over €50,000 for charity from the interest.
Today, officials estimate that between 15,000 and 20,000 tourists visit Borja every year to see the famous painting, which is now displayed behind a protective shield of glass.
Later Life and Local Admiration
After recovering from the wave of criticism, backed by local residents and well-wishers around the world, Giménez went on to hold an exhibition of her paintings showcasing twenty-eight of her personal works.
She was praised by the mayor for her generosity and years of faithful service to the church.
Ultimately, what began as a sincere but unsuccessful art repair forged an unlikely piece of pop culture and provided unprecedented tourist revenue to a small Spanish town.