Cecilia Giménez, the Spanish amateur artist whose botched restoration of a 19th-century fresco became a global internet sensation, has died at the age of 94. Her death on Monday was confirmed by her family in the town of Borja, where she lived most of her life.
In 2012, Giménez's attempt to restore Elías García Martínez's fresco of Christ, known as Ecce Homo, resulted in a widely mocked image dubbed 'Monkey Christ' or Ecce Mono. The viral meme brought unwanted attention to Giménez and her small town, but over time, the community rallied around her, and the fresco became a tourist attraction that boosted the local economy.
Giménez had been tending to the fresco for two decades before the incident, trying to protect it from water damage. She was only halfway through her restoration when she left for a holiday, and the news broke. Despite initial ridicule, she later said she would do it all again, noting that the attention had been good for Borja. The town now has a museum and shop dedicated to the fresco, with proceeds helping to fund care home fees for local residents.
In 2023, a comic opera called Behold the Man opened in Las Vegas, celebrating Giménez's impact. She died peacefully, having made peace with her unintended fame. Her funeral was held on Tuesday.
