Elderly woman destroys 19th century fresco in do-it-herself restoration attempt

80-year-old Cecilia Gimenez wasn’t happy with how long it was taking to restore ‘Ecce Homo’ in her church in Zaragoza, Spain, so she took out her brush and went to work.

The ‘Ecce Homo’ fresco before and after Cecilia Gimenez, 80, got her hands on it.

An elderly woman’s do-it-yourself restoration project has potentially ruined a 19th-century Spanish fresco.


Experts are now trying to salvage the painting of Jesus Christ in a crown of thorns, known as “Ecce Homo,” or “behold the man.” The terribly botched restoration has been jokingly dubbed “Ecce Mono,” or “behold the monkey” for the new painting’s striking similarity to what BBC called "a crayon sketch of a very hairy monkey in an ill-fitting tunic.”

The failed artist was identified in Spanish media as Cecilia Gimenez, a churchgoer in her 80s who was apparently dissatisfied with the rate of restoration on the fresco as it hung in The Sanctuary of Mercy Church near the Spanish city of Zaragoza.

The elderly woman acted without authorization from anyone, according to the Center for Borjanos, a local cultural organization which had received a donation to restore Elias Garcia Martinez’s original fresco in coming months.

It was unclear how long the elderly woman “worked” on the painting, but the center told Spanish media it has not ruled out legal action.

For her part, Gomez said the priest knew what she was up to and that she was working in plain sight.

“We have always repaired everything here. Everybody who entered the church could see me as I was painting,” she told RTVE.

But when she realized her masterpiece had gone terribly awry, she contacted local officials.

“She had gotten out of hand,” remarked culture minister Juan Maria de Ojeda.

Art historians are now trying to figure out whether the artwork -- which is not terribly pricey but has sentimental value -- can be saved.

“I think she had good intentions. Next week she will meet with a repairer and explain what kind of materials she used,” Ojeda said. ”If we can’t fix it, we will probably cover the wall with a photo of the painting.”