🔗 Share this article Spanish-born Parishioner Who Gained Notoriety for Mishandling a Famous Painting Restoration Has Died at the Age of 94 The handiwork of the Ecce Homo artwork. The elderly woman from Spain who achieved global fame for her poorly executed repair job on a cherished Jesus Christ fresco has died at the age 94. Cecilia Giménez, a resident of the town of Borja in northern Spain, became a global sensation 13 years ago after she undertook to repaint a century-old fresco titled Ecce Homo located in her parish church. Giménez's handiwork spread across the internet and earned the moniker "Potato Jesus", largely due to the altered likeness of Christ's head looking somewhat like a hairy monkey. Local Confirmation and Tribute The 94-year-old's death was announced by Borja's mayor, Eduardo Arilla, via an online statement, where he acknowledged her as a "passionate enthusiast of painting from a very early age". "Rest in peace Cecilia, your memory will live on with us," Arilla wrote. Arilla further referenced Giménez's "now-legendary restoration of Ecce Homo" in the summer of 2012, which "due to the poor state of conservation it was in, Cecilia, acting in good faith, decided to repaint the work over". The Painting's Background and the Now-Infamous Intervention The Ecce Homo ("This is the Man" in Latin) by nineteenth-century artist Elias Garcia Martinez had been held for over a century in the Sanctuary of Mercy Church close to Zaragoza. At the time, Giménez, who was 81 years old, explained that parishioners had "always repaired everything here", and that she had been given the go-ahead from the parish priest to do the work. She also noted that anybody who came into the Church would have seen she was applying paint to 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 once quiet town of Borja quickly become a major tourist destination. The town, which had in the past 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, officials estimate that between 15,000 and 20,000 tourists visit Borja every year to view the famous portrait, which is now displayed behind a protective shield of glass. Legacy and Community Admiration After recovering from the wave of criticism, backed by the townspeople and well-wishers around the world, Giménez later hold an art exhibition featuring 28 of her own paintings. She was commended by the mayor for her generosity and decades of faithful service to the church. In the end, what began as a sincere but unsuccessful art repair created an improbable cultural icon and brought unprecedented attention and resources to a small Spanish town.