Spanish Parishioner Who Found Fame for Mishandling a Prized Painting Repair Has Died at Age 94
The Spanish parishioner who achieved global fame for her infamous restoration attempt on a cherished religious painting has died at the age of 94.
The woman, from the town of Borja in northeast Spain, rose to prominence 13 years ago after she undertook to restore a century-old fresco known as Ecce Homo located in her local church.
Giménez's handiwork spread across the internet and was dubbed "Monkey Christ", because the altered depiction of Christ's head looking somewhat like a hairy monkey.
Official Confirmation and Tribute
The 94-year-old's death was announced by Borja's mayor, Eduardo Arilla, in a social media post, where he acknowledged her as a "great enthusiast of painting from a very early age".
"Descansa en paz Cecilia, we will always remember you," Arilla wrote.
Arilla further referenced Giménez's "famous restoration of Ecce Homo" in the summer of 2012, which "due to the poor state of conservation it was in, Cecilia, acting in good faith, decided to repaint the work over".
The Painting's History and the Now-Infamous Act
The Ecce Homo ("Behold the Man" in Latin) by 19th century artist Elias Garcia Martinez had resided for more than a hundred years in the Sanctuary of Mercy Church close to Zaragoza.
At the time, Giménez, who was 81 years old, stated that church members had "always repaired everything here", and that she had received permission from the parish priest to proceed.
She added at the time that anybody who entered the church would have seen she was painting over the existing artwork.
A Surprising Economic Lifeline
The impact of the restoration led to the creation of the "Ecce Mono" meme and saw the previously sleepy town of Borja quickly become a significant tourist destination.
The town, which had in the past welcomed just five thousand tourists per year, attracted over 40,000 tourists by 2013, and managed to raise more than €50,000 for charity from the interest.
Today, officials say that between 15,000 and 20,000 tourists visit Borja every year to view the notorious portrait, which is now displayed behind a protective shield of glass.
Legacy and Community Admiration
Following the wave of criticism, backed by the townspeople and well-wishers around the world, Giménez later hold an exhibition of her paintings featuring twenty-eight of her personal paintings.
She was praised by Borja's mayor for her kind-hearted nature and decades of faithful service to the church.
Ultimately, what began as a sincere but unsuccessful act of restoration created an improbable piece of pop culture and brought remarkable tourist revenue to a small Spanish town.
