Spanish Parishioner Who Found Notoriety for Mishandling a Famous Painting Restoration Has Died at the Age of 94

The elderly woman from Spain who made international headlines for her poorly executed repair job on a cherished religious painting has passed away at the age of 94.

The woman, a resident of the town of Borja in northeast Spain, rose to prominence 13 years ago after she attempted to repaint a century-old painting known as Ecce Homo housed within her parish church.

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

Official 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 young age".

"Rest in peace Cecilia, we will always remember you," 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 was in, Cecilia, with the best intentions, decided to apply new paint over the original".

The Artwork's History and the Fateful Intervention

The Ecce Homo ("Behold the Man" in Latin) painted by nineteenth-century painter Elias Garcia Martinez had been held for more than a century in the Sanctuary of Mercy Church close to Zaragoza.

In 2012, Giménez, who was 81 years old, stated 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 applying paint to the existing image.

An Unexpected Economic Lifeline

The impact of the repaint job spawned the "Monkey Christ" internet phenomenon and transformed the once quiet town of Borja quickly become a major visitor attraction.

The town, which had previously seen only 5,000 tourists per year, received over 40,000 tourists by 2013, and generated over €50,000 for charity from the attention.

Currently, officials estimate that somewhere around 15,000 and 20,000 tourists travel to Borja every year to view the famous painting, which is now protected by a protective shield of glass.

Later Life and Local Support

After recovering from the wave of criticism, with support from the townspeople and well-wishers globally, Giménez later stage an exhibition of her paintings showcasing 28 of her personal paintings.

She was commended by the mayor for her generosity and years of dedication to the church.

In the end, what began as a sincere but unsuccessful art repair forged an improbable cultural icon and brought remarkable attention and resources to a humble Spanish town.