The Spanish parishioner who made headlines around the world for her botched restoration of a prized Jesus Christ fresco has died aged 94.
Cecilia Giménez, an elderly woman from Borja, northeast Spain, became famous 13 years ago after she attempted to restore the century-old painting titled Ecce Homo that was held in her local church.
Giménez’s restoration went viral and earned the nickname “Monkey Christ”, because of Christ’s head resembling a hairy monkey.
The impact of the restoration led to the “Monkey Christ” meme and saw the once quiet town of Borja quickly become a tourist destination.
The town, which had previously welcomed just 5,000 visitors per year, received more than 40,000 tourists by 2013, and raised more than €50,000 for charity at the time.
Officials say nowadays between 15,000 and 20,000 tourists per year visit Borja to see the famous portrait, which is now behind a protective shield of glass.
I loved her work
Rest in peace, you absolute legend.
I would have like to have seen her other paintings
Haha. I remember the pics going around at the time and never really read the story. I always thought it might be someone just trolling/gaslighting people from the inside. Or malicious compliance or whatever.
The woman became famous enough that she held her own art exhibition.
I can’t process how that makes any sense.
It makes sense to me. I remember the incident, it was intriguing if nothing else. Why was this allowed to happen? And from there people just keep looking into it further
It’s like when American Idol lifted that terrible Asian boy to insane popularity because he was so unashamedly awful.
that terrible Asian boy
Jordin Sparks?
William Hung
She bangs!
I can’t see the words “Ecce Homo” without hearing the choir from the Mr. Bean intro.
Qui est faba
13 years already? I didn’t think I was that young when it happened.
Oh… wait, I was not.
I haven’t seen that painting in years. I just had a look again to cheer me up. It is very funny!
