You've got to feel for the 81-year-old grandma in Borja, Spain, who took it upon herself to restore a 120-year-old fresco on the wall of her local church. I mean, Jesus was starting to look a little worse for wear, what with the chipped paint and cracks in the wall. Another 100 years and "Ecce Homo" (which means "Behold the Man") would've looked more like Shower Mold Jesus.
So Cecilia Gimenez, who fancies herself an amateur painter, went to work giving Jesus a makeover. And, uh ... well, the painting's new nickname among parishioners: "Ecce Mono" (Behold the Monkey). Whoops.
In her defense, Gimenez says she "wasn't finished" with the painting (also in her defense, she's an 81-year-old Jesus-lovin' grandma! Don't be hating on an 81-year-old Jesus-lovin' grandma!). But she won't have the chance, as authorities are currently trying to determine if there's any way to return the painting to its pre-restoration state. (There's some question as to whether or not the priest gave Gimenez permission to alter the fresco in the first place.)
But is that really What Jesus Would Do? He's the one who said, "Judge not amateur attempts at art restoration, lest ye yourself be judged," and "Let the little old ladies come unto me," after all. (Or something like that.) No, I think Jesus would sign the online petition to leave the updated fresco as is. That's right, Gimenez has become something of an overnight folk art heroine -- over 10,000 people have signed that petition already!
Hey, I'd sign it. Even if the lofty language of the petition, which compares the restoration to the work of Goya and Munch, does go a little overboard:
The daring work of the artist spontaneously in Ecce Homo Mercy Shrine of Borja is endearing and a loving act, a clever reflection of [the] political and social situation of our time.
Ummm ... okay. Or how 'bout just: "Don't be hating on an 82-year-old Jesus-loving grandma!"
Do you think the Jesus fresco should be left as is?
Image via CBS
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Comments 8
nailed it.
If they were really concerned with the painting, I think they would have taken better care of it and taken proper steps to preserve it, so that's all on the church. Also no one knows what he looked like, maybe he came to her in her dreams and that is what he really looks like, well at least to an 80 year old woman whose vision might be a little blurry, lol.
Wow. I'm torn. I feel pretty bad for the lady, I'm sure she meant well. But, wow. Its just so...so... Well, in keeping with one of those life lessons in kindness, I'm going to 'say nothing at all'.
Let's hope she did get permission in the first place, and that a way can be found to fix it ;)
@ MeowLove: Hahaha!
Anyhow...no, that...thing...should NOT be left like that. What's truly sad about this is that the grand-daughter of the original artist had JUST secured a grant to get the fresco PROFESSIONALLY restored. In any event, yeah, it's funny...but it's also very sad and I imagine quite infuriating for those who appreciated the true beauty of the original art, especially the grand-daughter who had probably just spent years trying to secure the grant to have it professional restored (*because anyone who's ever had to get gov't approval or $ for anything should be able to tell you that the beauracratic process is not fast-moving and requires lots of navigation through red tape and silly intricacies). So with that being said, it should absolutely NOT be left in this ruined state. Although everyone can appreciate that this woman had good intetions (*at least originally; she is now suing the church and trying to collecct monetary compensation for her "work" because the church had begun charging people to view it) when she attempted to fix the painting, the fresco (in its original state) has been a fixture of this church for over 100 years and it deserves to remain there in all of its original beauty and glory for as long as it possibly can be.