Spanish Woman Who Found Notoriety for Mishandling a Famous Fresco Restoration Dies at the Age of 94

The Spanish parishioner who achieved global fame for her poorly executed restoration attempt on a valuable Jesus Christ fresco 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 attempted to restore a century-old painting known as Ecce Homo located in her parish church.

Giménez's handiwork quickly went viral and earned the moniker "Potato Jesus", largely due to the resulting likeness of Christ's head bearing a resemblance to a furry primate.

Official Confirmation and Homage

The nonagenarian's death was confirmed by Borja's mayor, Eduardo Arilla, via an online statement, where he acknowledged her as a "passionate lover of painting from a very early age".

"Rest in peace Cecilia, your memory will live on with us," the mayor posted.

Arilla further referenced Giménez's "famous restoration of Ecce Homo" in August 2012, which "because of the poor state of conservation it presented, Cecilia, with the best intentions, decided to repaint the work over".

The Artwork's Background and the Now-Infamous Act

The Ecce Homo ("This is the Man" in Latin) painted by nineteenth-century painter Elias Garcia Martinez had resided for over a hundred years in the Sanctuary of Mercy Church near Zaragoza.

In 2012, Giménez, then 81, stated that parishioners had "traditionally fixed everything here", and that she had been given the go-ahead from the local priest to do the work.

She added at the time that anyone who entered the church would have observed she was applying paint to the original artwork.

An Unexpected Economic Lifeline

The aftermath of the restoration spawned the "Monkey Christ" meme and saw the once quiet town of Borja rapidly turn into a significant tourist destination.

The municipality, which had in the past seen only five thousand tourists per year, attracted over 40,000 tourists by 2013, and generated more than €50,000 for charity from the attention.

Today, officials estimate that between 15,000 and 20,000 tourists travel to Borja each year to see the notorious portrait, which is now displayed behind a protective shield of glass.

Later Life and Local Support

Following the initial backlash, backed by local residents and others around the world, Giménez later stage an exhibition of her paintings featuring twenty-eight of her own paintings.

She was praised by Borja's mayor for her kind-hearted nature and decades of dedication to the church.

Ultimately, what began as a sincere but flawed act of restoration created an improbable cultural icon and provided remarkable tourist revenue to a small Spanish town.