Spanish Woman Who Gained Fame for Botching a Famous Painting Repair Has Died at the Age of 94

The elderly woman from Spain who made international headlines for her poorly executed repair job on a valuable Jesus Christ fresco has died at the age 94.

The woman, from the town of Borja in northeast Spain, became a global sensation thirteen years ago after she attempted to restore a 100-year-old painting titled Ecce Homo housed within her local church.

Giménez's handiwork quickly went viral and was dubbed "Monkey Christ", because the resulting depiction of Christ's head looking somewhat like a furry primate.

Local Announcement and Tribute

The 94-year-old's death was announced by the town's mayor, Eduardo Arilla, in a social media post, where he described her as a "great enthusiast of painting from a very early age".

"Rest in peace Cecilia, we will always remember you," Arilla wrote.

Arilla further referenced Giménez's "now-legendary restoration of Ecce Homo" in August 2012, which "because of the deteriorated condition it was in, Cecilia, with the best intentions, decided to apply new paint over the original".

The Artwork's History and the Fateful Act

The Ecce Homo ("This is the Man" in Latin) painted by 19th century artist Elias Garcia Martinez had resided for over a century in the Santuario de la Misericordia close to Zaragoza.

At the time, Giménez, who was 81 years old, explained that parishioners had "traditionally fixed everything here", and that she had been given the go-ahead from the parish priest to proceed.

She also noted that anybody who came into the Church would have observed she was painting over the existing artwork.

An Unexpected Economic Lifeline

The impact of the repaint job led to the creation of the "Ecce Mono" internet phenomenon and transformed the previously sleepy town of Borja quickly become a major tourist destination.

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

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

Legacy and Local Support

After recovering from the wave of criticism, with support from local residents and well-wishers around the world, Giménez went on to stage an art exhibition showcasing twenty-eight of her personal paintings.

She was commended by the mayor for her generosity and decades of faithful service to the parish.

In the end, what began as a well-intentioned but unsuccessful act of restoration forged an improbable piece of pop culture and brought unprecedented tourist revenue to a humble Spanish town.