Who attempted the viral 2012 restoration of the Ecce Homo fresco in Borja?

Cecilia Giménez attempted the viral 2012 restoration of the Ecce Homo fresco in Borja, Spain.

The fresco was painted around 1930 by Elías García Martínez in the Sanctuary of Mercy church. By 2012, moisture and age had caused parts of the image to deteriorate. Giménez, an 81-year-old local parishioner and amateur artist, began repainting it to preserve the depiction of Jesus.

She left the work unfinished while away on holiday. When photographs of the altered face circulated internationally, the result was widely compared to a monkey and nicknamed “Ecce Mono,” meaning “Behold the Monkey.” The episode turned a little-known religious mural into a global internet phenomenon.

A common mix-up is confusing Giménez with the original painter, Elías García Martínez. Giménez did not create the fresco; she made the unsuccessful restoration attempt. The painting was ultimately preserved in its altered state and became a tourist attraction for Borja.