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Spanish fresco restoration botched by amateur | Spanish fresco restoration botched by amateur |
(about 21 hours later) | |
An elderly parishioner has stunned Spanish cultural officials with an alarming and unauthorised attempt to restore a prized Jesus Christ fresco. | An elderly parishioner has stunned Spanish cultural officials with an alarming and unauthorised attempt to restore a prized Jesus Christ fresco. |
Ecce Homo (Behold the Man) by Elias Garcia Martinez has held pride of place in the Sanctuary of Mercy Church near Zaragoza for more than 100 years. | Ecce Homo (Behold the Man) by Elias Garcia Martinez has held pride of place in the Sanctuary of Mercy Church near Zaragoza for more than 100 years. |
The woman took her brush to it after years of deterioration due to moisture. | The woman took her brush to it after years of deterioration due to moisture. |
Cultural officials said she had the best intentions and hoped it could be properly restored. | Cultural officials said she had the best intentions and hoped it could be properly restored. |
Donation | Donation |
Cecilia Gimenez, who is in her 80s, was reportedly upset at the way the fresco had deteriorated and took it on herself to "restore" the image. | |
She claimed to have had the permission of the priest to carry out the job. | |
"(The) priest knew it! He did! How could you do something like that without permission? He knew it!" | |
BBC Europe correspondent Christian Fraser says the delicate brush strokes of Elias Garcia Martinez have been buried under a haphazard splattering of paint. | BBC Europe correspondent Christian Fraser says the delicate brush strokes of Elias Garcia Martinez have been buried under a haphazard splattering of paint. |
The once-dignified portrait now resembles a crayon sketch of a very hairy monkey in an ill-fitting tunic, he says. | The once-dignified portrait now resembles a crayon sketch of a very hairy monkey in an ill-fitting tunic, he says. |
The woman appears to have realised she was out of her depth and contacted Juan Maria Ojeda, the city councillor in charge of cultural affairs. | The woman appears to have realised she was out of her depth and contacted Juan Maria Ojeda, the city councillor in charge of cultural affairs. |
Teresa Garcia, granddaughter of Elias Garcia Martinez, said the woman had painted the tunic before, but the fresco got disfigured when she painted Christ's head. | |
'Good intentions' | |
Art historians are expected to meet at the church soon to discuss how to proceed. | Art historians are expected to meet at the church soon to discuss how to proceed. |
Mr Ojeda said: "I think she had good intentions. Next week she will meet with a repairer and explain what kind of materials she used. | Mr Ojeda said: "I think she had good intentions. Next week she will meet with a repairer and explain what kind of materials she used. |
"If we can't fix it, we will probably cover the wall with a photo of the painting." | "If we can't fix it, we will probably cover the wall with a photo of the painting." |
The fresco is not thought to be very valuable, but has a high sentimental value for local people. | The fresco is not thought to be very valuable, but has a high sentimental value for local people. |
Our correspondent says that to make matters worse, the local centre that works to preserve artworks had just received a donation from the painter's granddaughter which they had planned to use to restore the original fresco. | Our correspondent says that to make matters worse, the local centre that works to preserve artworks had just received a donation from the painter's granddaughter which they had planned to use to restore the original fresco. |