🔗 Share this article Spanish-born Woman Who Gained Fame for Botching a Prized Fresco Restoration Dies at Age 94 Cecilia Giménez's restoration of the century-old fresco. The Spanish parishioner 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, from the town of Borja in northeast Spain, rose to prominence 13 years ago after she undertook to restore a century-old fresco known as Ecce Homo located in her local church. Giménez's handiwork quickly went viral and was dubbed "Potato Jesus", largely due to the altered depiction of Christ's head looking somewhat like a furry primate. Official Confirmation and Homage The 94-year-old's death was announced by Borja's mayor, Eduardo Arilla, in a social media post, where he acknowledged her as a "passionate enthusiast of painting from a very early age". "Descansa en paz Cecilia, we will always remember you," the mayor posted. Arilla also paid tribute to Giménez's "now-legendary restoration of Ecce Homo" in the summer of 2012, which "due to the deteriorated condition it was in, Cecilia, acting in good faith, decided to repaint the work over". The Painting's History and the Fateful Intervention The Ecce Homo ("Behold the Man" in Latin) painted by 19th century artist Elias Garcia Martinez had been held for more than a hundred years in the Sanctuary of Mercy Church near Zaragoza. In 2012, Giménez, who was 81 years old, stated that church members had "always repaired everything here", and that she had been given the go-ahead from the local priest to proceed. She also noted that anyone who came into the Church would have seen she was painting over the original artwork. A Surprising Economic Lifeline The aftermath of the restoration led to the creation of the "Monkey Christ" internet phenomenon and transformed the previously sleepy town of Borja rapidly turn into a major visitor attraction. The town, which had previously welcomed just five thousand tourists per year, attracted more than 40,000 tourists by 2013, and managed to raise more than €50,000 for charity from the attention. Today, local authorities say that somewhere around 15,000 and 20,000 tourists travel to Borja every year to see the notorious painting, which is now protected by a protective shield of glass. Legacy and Community Admiration After recovering from the wave of criticism, with support from the townspeople and well-wishers globally, Giménez went on to stage an art exhibition featuring 28 of her personal paintings. She was commended by the mayor for her kind-hearted nature and years of faithful service to the church. Ultimately, what began as a well-intentioned but unsuccessful act of restoration created an unlikely piece of pop culture and provided unprecedented attention and resources to a humble Spanish town.