Spanish-born Parishioner Who Found Notoriety for Botching a Prized Fresco Repair Has Died at the Age of 94
The elderly woman from Spain who achieved global fame for her infamous restoration attempt on a valuable religious painting has passed away at the age of 94.
The woman, from the town of Borja in northeast Spain, rose to prominence 13 years ago after she attempted to repaint a century-old fresco known as Ecce Homo located in her parish church.
Giménez's restoration effort spread across the internet and was dubbed "Potato Jesus", because the altered depiction of Christ's head looking somewhat like a furry primate.
Official Confirmation and Tribute
The 94-year-old's death 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 also paid tribute to Giménez's "now-legendary restoration of Ecce Homo" in August 2012, which "because of the poor state of conservation it was in, Cecilia, with the best intentions, chose to repaint the work over".
The Painting's Background and the Fateful Act
The Ecce Homo ("This is the Man" in Latin) by 19th century painter Elias Garcia Martinez had resided for over a hundred years in the Santuario de la Misericordia near Zaragoza.
In 2012, Giménez, who was 81 years old, explained that church members had "always repaired everything here", and that she had received permission from the local priest to do the work.
She also noted that anyone who entered the church would have seen she was painting over the existing image.
A Surprising Economic Lifeline
The impact of the repaint job spawned the "Ecce Mono" internet phenomenon and transformed the once quiet town of Borja rapidly turn into a major tourist destination.
The municipality, which had in the past seen only 5,000 visitors per year, attracted more than 40,000 tourists by 2013, and managed to raise more than €50,000 for charity from the attention.
Today, local authorities say that between 15,000 and 20,000 tourists travel to Borja every year to see the notorious portrait, which is now displayed behind a pane of glass.
Legacy and Community Support
Following the initial backlash, backed by the townspeople and others globally, Giménez later hold an exhibition of her paintings showcasing 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 parish.
Ultimately, what began as a sincere but flawed act of restoration forged an improbable piece of pop culture and brought remarkable tourist revenue to a small Spanish town.
