🔗 Share this article Spanish-born Parishioner Who Found Notoriety for Botching a Famous Painting Repair Has Died at the Age of 94 Cecilia Giménez's handiwork of the Ecce Homo artwork. 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. Cecilia Giménez, from the town of Borja in northeast Spain, rose to prominence 13 years ago after she undertook to repaint a 100-year-old painting known as Ecce Homo housed within her local church. Giménez's handiwork quickly went viral and earned the moniker "Potato Jesus", largely due to the resulting depiction of Christ's head looking somewhat like a furry primate. Local Announcement and Tribute The nonagenarian's death was confirmed by Borja's mayor, Eduardo Arilla, via an online statement, where he described her as a "great enthusiast of painting from a very early age". "Descansa en paz Cecilia, your memory will live on with us," the mayor posted. Arilla also paid tribute to Giménez's "famous restoration of Ecce Homo" in August 2012, which "because of the poor state of conservation it was in, Cecilia, acting in good faith, decided to apply new paint over the original". The Painting's History and the Fateful Act The Ecce Homo ("Behold the Man" in Latin) painted by 19th century artist Elias Garcia Martinez had been held for more than a century in the Sanctuary of Mercy Church close to Zaragoza. In 2012, Giménez, who was 81 years old, stated that church members had "always repaired everything here", and that she had received permission from the parish priest to proceed. She added at the time that anyone who entered the Church would have observed she was painting over the original image. An Unexpected Tourist Boom The aftermath of the restoration spawned the "Ecce Mono" meme and transformed the previously sleepy town of Borja quickly become a significant tourist destination. The town, which had in the past welcomed just 5,000 visitors per year, attracted more than 40,000 tourists by 2013, and managed to raise over €50,000 for charity from the interest. Today, officials estimate that between 15,000 and 20,000 tourists travel to Borja each year to see the notorious painting, which is now protected by a pane of glass. Later Life and Local Admiration After recovering from the wave of criticism, backed by local residents and others globally, Giménez went on to stage an exhibition of her paintings showcasing twenty-eight of her own paintings. She was commended by the mayor for her generosity and years of faithful service to the church. In the end, what began as a well-intentioned but unsuccessful art repair forged an improbable piece of pop culture and provided remarkable tourist revenue to a humble Spanish town.