Spanish-born Parishioner Who Gained Fame for Botching a Prized Painting Restoration Dies at Age 94

The elderly woman from Spain who achieved global fame for her poorly executed repair job on a cherished religious painting has passed away at the age 94.

The woman, a resident of the town of Borja in northern Spain, rose to prominence thirteen years ago after she undertook to restore a 100-year-old fresco titled Ecce Homo located in her parish church.

Giménez's handiwork spread across the internet and earned the moniker "Monkey Christ", largely due to the resulting likeness of Christ's head looking somewhat like a hairy monkey.

Official Confirmation and Homage

The nonagenarian's death was announced by Borja's mayor, Eduardo Arilla, in a social media post, where he acknowledged her as a "passionate lover of painting from a very early age".

"Descansa en paz Cecilia, your memory will live on with us," Arilla wrote.

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

The Artwork's Background and the Fateful Intervention

The Ecce Homo ("Behold the Man" in Latin) painted by nineteenth-century artist Elias Garcia Martinez had been held for over a century in the Sanctuary of Mercy Church near Zaragoza.

In 2012, Giménez, who was 81 years old, explained that parishioners had "always repaired everything here", and that she had received permission from the parish priest to proceed.

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

An Unexpected Tourist Boom

The aftermath of the repaint job led to the creation of the "Ecce Mono" meme and transformed the once quiet town of Borja quickly become a major visitor attraction.

The municipality, which had previously welcomed just five thousand visitors per year, received more than 40,000 tourists by 2013, and generated over €50,000 for charity from the interest.

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

Legacy and Local Support

After recovering from the wave of criticism, backed by local residents and others around the world, Giménez went on to hold an art exhibition showcasing 28 of her personal works.

She was praised by the mayor for her generosity and years of faithful service to the parish.

Ultimately, what began as a sincere but unsuccessful art repair created an unlikely piece of pop culture and provided remarkable attention and resources to a small Spanish town.