Spanish-born Woman Who Found Fame for Botching a Famous Fresco Repair Has Died at the Age of 94

The Spanish parishioner who achieved global fame for her poorly executed restoration attempt on a cherished Jesus Christ fresco has died at the age 94.

Cecilia Giménez, a resident of the town of Borja in northeast Spain, rose to prominence 13 years ago after she attempted to repaint a century-old fresco titled Ecce Homo housed within her local church.

Giménez's handiwork spread across the internet and was dubbed "Monkey Christ", largely due to the altered likeness of Christ's head looking somewhat like a furry primate.

Local Confirmation and Tribute

The nonagenarian's death was announced 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 also paid tribute to Giménez's "now-legendary restoration of Ecce Homo" in the summer of 2012, which "because of the poor state of conservation it presented, Cecilia, acting in good faith, chose to repaint the work over".

The Artwork's Background and the Now-Infamous Act

The Ecce Homo ("Behold the Man" in Latin) painted by 19th century painter Elias Garcia Martinez had been held for more than a century in the Santuario de la Misericordia close to Zaragoza.

At the time, Giménez, then 81, explained that church members had "traditionally fixed everything here", and that she had received permission from the parish priest to proceed.

She added at the time that anybody who entered the Church would have seen she was applying paint to the original artwork.

An Unexpected Economic Lifeline

The impact of the restoration led to the creation of the "Ecce Mono" meme and transformed the previously sleepy town of Borja quickly become a major visitor attraction.

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

Currently, officials estimate 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 Local Admiration

Following the initial backlash, with support from local residents and well-wishers globally, Giménez later hold an exhibition of her paintings showcasing twenty-eight of her own works.

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

Ultimately, what began as a sincere but flawed art repair forged an unlikely cultural icon and brought remarkable tourist revenue to a small Spanish town.