🔗 Share this article Spanish Woman Who Gained Notoriety for Botching a Prized Fresco Restoration Has Died at the Age of 94 The restoration 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 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 attempted to repaint a 100-year-old fresco titled Ecce Homo located in her parish church. Giménez's restoration effort quickly went viral and earned the moniker "Potato Jesus", because the resulting likeness of Christ's head bearing a resemblance to a hairy monkey. Local Announcement and Homage The 94-year-old's death was confirmed by Borja's mayor, Eduardo Arilla, via an online statement, where he acknowledged her as a "great enthusiast of painting from a very early age". "Rest in peace Cecilia, your memory will live on with us," Arilla wrote. Arilla also paid tribute to Giménez's "now-legendary restoration of Ecce Homo" in the summer of 2012, which "because of the deteriorated condition 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) painted by nineteenth-century artist Elias Garcia Martinez had been held for more than a hundred years 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 proceed. She added at the time that anyone who came into the Church would have observed she was applying paint to the original image. An Unexpected Tourist Boom The impact of the restoration led to the creation of the "Monkey Christ" internet phenomenon and transformed the once quiet town of Borja rapidly turn into a major tourist destination. The town, which had in the past seen only five thousand visitors per year, received more than 40,000 tourists by 2013, and generated over €50,000 for charity from the attention. Currently, local authorities estimate that between 15,000 and 20,000 tourists visit Borja every year to view the notorious portrait, which is now protected by a protective shield of glass. Legacy and Community Support After recovering from the initial backlash, backed by the townspeople and well-wishers around the world, Giménez later stage an art exhibition showcasing 28 of her personal works. She was commended by Borja's mayor for her kind-hearted nature and years of dedication to the parish. Ultimately, what began as a well-intentioned but unsuccessful art repair created an unlikely cultural icon and brought unprecedented tourist revenue to a humble Spanish town.