Spanish-born Woman Who Gained Notoriety for Botching a Prized Fresco Restoration Dies at the Age of 94
The elderly woman from Spain who made international headlines for her poorly executed repair job on a cherished Jesus Christ fresco has died at the age 94.
The woman, a resident of the town of Borja in northern Spain, rose to prominence thirteen years ago after she attempted to restore a century-old fresco known as Ecce Homo housed within her local church.
Giménez's restoration effort quickly went viral and was dubbed "Potato Jesus", largely due to the resulting likeness of Christ's head looking somewhat like a furry primate.
Official Confirmation and Homage
The nonagenarian's passing was announced by Borja's mayor, Eduardo Arilla, via an online statement, where he acknowledged her as a "great enthusiast of painting from a young age".
"Rest in peace Cecilia, your memory will live on with us," the mayor posted.
Arilla also paid tribute to Giménez's "now-legendary restoration of Ecce Homo" in the summer of 2012, which "due to the deteriorated condition it was in, Cecilia, with the best intentions, chose to apply new paint over the original".
The Painting's Background and the Now-Infamous Intervention
The Ecce Homo ("Behold the Man" in Latin) painted by nineteenth-century artist Elias Garcia Martinez had been held for over a hundred years in the Santuario de la Misericordia close to Zaragoza.
In 2012, Giménez, then 81, explained that church members had "always repaired everything here", and that she had been given the go-ahead from the parish priest to do the work.
She also noted that anyone who came into the church would have observed she was applying paint to the original image.
A Surprising Economic Lifeline
The aftermath of the repaint job spawned the "Ecce Mono" meme and transformed the previously sleepy town of Borja quickly become a significant visitor attraction.
The town, which had in the past welcomed just five thousand tourists per year, attracted more than 40,000 tourists by 2013, and managed to raise over €50,000 for charity from the interest.
Today, 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.
Later Life and Local Admiration
Following the wave of criticism, backed by local residents and others around the world, Giménez went on to hold an art exhibition showcasing twenty-eight of her own works.
She was praised by Borja's mayor for her generosity and years of faithful service to the church.
In the end, what began as a sincere but unsuccessful art repair forged an improbable piece of pop culture and provided unprecedented tourist revenue to a humble Spanish town.