Spanish Parishioner Who Found Notoriety for Mishandling a Famous Painting Repair Has Died at Age 94
The Spanish parishioner who made international headlines for her infamous restoration attempt on a cherished Jesus Christ fresco has passed away at the age of 94.
The woman, from the town of Borja in northern Spain, rose to prominence thirteen years ago after she undertook to restore a 100-year-old painting titled Ecce Homo housed within her local church.
Giménez's handiwork spread across the internet and earned the moniker "Potato Jesus", largely due to the altered likeness of Christ's head bearing a resemblance to a furry primate.
Local Announcement and Homage
The nonagenarian's passing was confirmed by the town's mayor, Eduardo Arilla, in a social media post, 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 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 History and the Fateful Intervention
The Ecce Homo ("This is the Man" in Latin) painted by nineteenth-century painter Elias Garcia Martinez had been held for over a century in the Sanctuary of Mercy Church close to Zaragoza.
At the time, Giménez, who was 81 years old, stated that church members had "traditionally fixed everything here", and that she had received permission from the local priest to proceed.
She added at the time that anyone who came into the church would have observed she was applying paint to the original artwork.
An Unexpected Tourist Boom
The impact of the repaint job spawned the "Ecce Mono" internet phenomenon and saw the once quiet town of Borja rapidly turn into a major visitor attraction.
The town, which had in the past seen only five thousand tourists per year, received 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 each year to view the famous portrait, which is now displayed behind a pane of glass.
Legacy and Community Support
After recovering from the initial backlash, with support from the townspeople and well-wishers around the world, Giménez went on to hold an exhibition of her paintings showcasing 28 of her own works.
She was commended by the mayor for her generosity and decades of dedication to the church.
In the end, what began as a well-intentioned but unsuccessful art repair created an improbable cultural icon and provided unprecedented attention and resources to a humble Spanish town.
