🔗 Share this article Spanish-born Woman Who Gained Notoriety for Botching a Famous Fresco Restoration Has Died at the Age of 94 The handiwork of the century-old painting. The elderly woman from Spain who made international headlines for her infamous restoration attempt on a valuable religious painting 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 undertook to restore a 100-year-old painting known as Ecce Homo located in her local church. Giménez's handiwork spread across the internet and was dubbed "Monkey Christ", largely due to the resulting likeness of Christ's head bearing a resemblance to 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 lover of painting from a young age". "Rest in peace Cecilia, your memory will live on with us," Arilla wrote. Arilla further referenced Giménez's "famous restoration of Ecce Homo" in August 2012, which "due to the poor state of conservation it was in, Cecilia, acting in good faith, chose to apply new paint over the original". The Painting's History and the Fateful Act The Ecce Homo ("Behold the Man" in Latin) by 19th century painter Elias Garcia Martinez had resided for more than a hundred years in the Santuario de la Misericordia close to Zaragoza. At the time, Giménez, then 81, stated that parishioners had "always repaired everything here", and that she had received permission from the local priest to do the work. She added at the time that anyone who came into the Church would have seen she was applying paint to the original artwork. A Surprising Tourist Boom The aftermath of the restoration led to the creation of the "Ecce Mono" internet phenomenon and transformed the previously sleepy town of Borja quickly become a significant tourist destination. The municipality, which had previously welcomed just five thousand visitors per year, attracted more than 40,000 tourists by 2013, and generated over €50,000 for charity from the interest. Currently, officials estimate that somewhere around 15,000 and 20,000 tourists visit Borja every year to view the famous painting, which is now displayed behind a pane of glass. Legacy and Local Support Following the initial backlash, with support from the townspeople and well-wishers globally, Giménez later stage an exhibition of her paintings featuring 28 of her own works. She was praised by the mayor for her generosity and decades of dedication to the parish. Ultimately, what began as a well-intentioned but unsuccessful act of restoration forged an improbable cultural icon and provided unprecedented attention and resources to a humble Spanish town.